DONOVAN McNABB defended his turf yesterday.
The Eagles' quarterback defended his leadership style and his play on that much-debated final scoring drive of the Super Bowl. The message was emphatic, and it drew support from teammates, on the first day of the first minicamp since the team's 24-21 loss to New England in Super Bowl XXXIX.
"I wasn't tired," McNabb said, addressing Philadelphia-area reporters for the first time since that frantic evening in Jacksonville. "Whatever comments have been made, I don't know if it was directed toward me or whatever... I don't play games in the media. If someone has a problem with me, they can call me... I think that's the way of handling the situation.
"My job is to obviously lead this team for wins... If there are excuses to be made, maybe why it didn't happen, or whatever it may be, pretty much just keep my name out your mouth."
The remarks obviously were directed at a couple of players who weren't there yesterday, wide receivers Terrell Owens, who wants his contract redone, and Freddie Mitchell, who was told to stay home by Eagles coach Andy Reid after expressing displeasure with the team and McNabb as part of his campaign to be traded.
Owens famously told ESPN.com that he "wasn't the guy who got tired" in the Super Bowl. Mitchell has complained about what he feels is McNabb's lack of confidence in him. Mitchell also became a focus of the final-scoring-drive controversy, when he told reporters he made a play call because McNabb was having trouble breathing or speaking. Other players said Mitchell repeated a play call that McNabb was having trouble getting out.
