Donovan McNabb: Hall of Famer or Not?

Everyone was talking about Donovan McNabb's huge new contract (it was originally proclaimed to be worth $78m with $40m guaranteed, but that has been revised down). All the stranger because his coach benched him in the final 2 minutes of a game 2 weeks previous.

This led to a discussion between us about the status of McNabb's place in football history. Naturally, we're both right though we happen to disagree.

kdc: $40m guaranteed to McNabb? You gotta be kidding me!

Momo: I know. I think it was a political move by Snyder (owner of the Redskins). People started throwing race into the mix. Its great for McNabb but puzzling for the Skins.

kdc: Political makes sense. About the only sense. I know he doesn't have a great (offensive) line, but still - his age & past aren't long term characteristics to build a team around. He's a stop-gap.

I mean, Donovan's always been a good man, but I'm not sure anyone's every called him a great QB.

Momo: He's going to the Hall of Fame but I agree, building around him is going to be tough. Unless you just don't think you can develop a QB to win fast enough. Its just a puzzling move.

I'd say McNabb is at least a top 15 QB.

kdc: HOF? Seriously? I'm not saying he's a slouch, but I see him as Patrick Ewing - someone who everyone talks a lot about in their day, but ultimately not one of the best. Puffed because he's on the East Coast. B+ certainly, but I can't see him being much better than that (which is Top 15 today, but I'd say closer to #13-15 in that top 15 than Top 10).

Again, a wonderful man, but not a HOF QB.

Momo: McNabb has 5 NFC championships, 1 Super Bowl, 6 pro bowls. His career numbers are comparable to Kurt Warner. He has done less with more, he's put up great numbers with no talent.

kdc: Okay, I was wrong. Your stats show Donovan's an A- QB, not a B+. Still, A- shouldn't get you into the HOF. It should just get you recognized and in the Pro Bowl.

While I concede he certainly hasn't had the most offensive talent at WR (I think you could argue his RBs, mostly, have been strong), the same could be said for Tom Brady, who's won 3 Super Bowls. (A fact we both despise.) Ironically, when Brady had his stellar WR corps, they lost the Super Bowl. The same could be said for Donovan--his best WR corps got him into a Super Bowl that the Eagles lost. (And he's been accused of freezing up in the last 2 minutes of that Super Bowl, which can't help his cause.)

Plus, Andy Reid is easily one of the best coaches in the last decade; to my mind that easily cancels out some subpar WRs over the years.

While I think Kurt Warner will someday make the HOF, there are many that think his hollow middle years (late Rams years, NY Giants, early Cardinal years) might be enough to keep him out. Warner was twice a league MVP. So I think your comparison is apt. Unless Donovan ends his career in a blaze of glory (as Warner did), he is on the cusp of the HOF, but on the wrong side of the cusp. Sorry, I just don't see it.