Ex-Eagle: McNabb hints at wanting ‘a little revenge’

Donovan McNabb's official comment was straightforward and diplomatic, saying he "enjoyed" being an Eagle and was "excited" about becoming a Redskin.

But could he be hoping for "a little revenge" when the division rivals meet twice next season?

Yes, according to ex-teammate Brian Mitchell, who said he spoke with McNabb last night.

"In his voice I heard a lot of enthusiasm. And you know, he may not be exactly like me, but I could hear he had a little revenge in that voice, too," said the former kicker returner on Comcast SportsNet. "And he wants to go to the Eagles and show them that they made a mistake."

"He said, 'It's time to play ball, cuz.' Then he said that the Eagles had been trying to dog him, but the Redskins got involved and they made the move," said Mitchell, who played for both Philadelphia and Washington.

The news "shocked" McNabb, who felt frustrated, at least initially, after coach Andy Reid acknowledged the team was entering offers for its quarterbacks, Mitchell said.

McNabb also shared another feeling - concern for Redskins quarterback Jason Campbell - with Washington Post sports columnist Michael Wilbon:

"The only reservation in Donovan McNabb's voice Sunday night was over finding and talking to Jason Campbell. After all, when things were going rotten for Campbell, when he was being benched and booed, it was McNabb, after an Eagles-Redskins game in Washington, who sought out Campbell to buck him up, tell him he's got the tools to be a fine quarterback in the NFL. The quarterback fraternity is small, and the black quarterback fraternity is even smaller, and McNabb didn't want Campbell to think for one second he'd been lying in the weeds for weeks, waiting to take his job."

McNabb's enthusiasm and concern were foremost on his mind, Wilbon wrote:

"In a very brief conversation Sunday night after the trade, McNabb said he is 'absolutely looking forward to this . . . absolutely. I'm excited about it, no question.' There was a pause as he asked me about Campbell. 'I need to get in touch with Jason, I need to hear his thoughts on all this . . . You know I really like Jason."

Wilbon said that by last week McNabb was taking it all in stride. "McNabb, for the record, didn't know until the last second where he was going to wind up. The rumors that the Vikings were atop his list were erroneous; McNabb told me that himself last week. . . .

"McNabb and I talked about the business of football the other night in Arizona, a totally off-the-record conversation. But I was reminded that night, with all due respect to Campbell, why McNabb is about the best fit around to be the quarterback of the Washington Redskins . . . Because Donovan McNabb has done most of it and seen all of it. Even on an evening when the Eagles, the only team he has played for, were trying to trade him, he was completely unfazed."

McNabb's official response was the following statement: "I'm really excited about my future with the Washington Redskins. I'm eager to work with Coach Shanahan. He's been a very successful coach with a couple of Super Bowl victories on his resume. While it's been my goal to win a Super Bowl in Philadelphia, we came up short. I enjoyed my 11 years here and we shared a lot more good times than bad."

Reid also said he spoke with McNabb. At last night's news conference, Reid said, "I did talk to him. Well, I talked to his agent, yes."

McNabb was fine with heading to Washington, Reid said: "He's happy to be there. He'll do a nice job."

Reid also denied that McNabb or his agent, Fletcher Smith, had ruled out certain teams: "No, that's not what happened there."