McNabb: 'I Wasn't Sick And I Didn't Throw Up'
Receiver Allegedly Called Play
POSTED: 1:34 pm EST February 8,
2005
UPDATED: 6:06 pm EST February 9,
2005
PHILADELPHIA -- In an interview in Hawaii, Donovan McNabb denies claims by Eagles teammates that he was ill during the Super Bowl.
Video: Hear McNabb's Side Of The Story

"I was hungry … trying to make every play possible. No, I wasn't sick and I didn't throw up. I was tired a little bit. We scored on that drive and that's the main thing," McNabb said."When I seen it (the news reports) and heard about it, obviously I was kind of upset about the whole deal. To hear something like that takes obviously away from the excitement of the game and … the determination of trying to win," McNabb said.When asked if Freddie Mitchell had to call a play because McNabb was in distress, McNabb said that account was inaccurate."No, Freddie did not call a play," McNabb said with a laugh.The all-Pro quarterback is in Hawaii with eight other Eagles players for this weekend's Pro Bowl game.On Tuesday, four Eagles players said McNabb was so ill in the fourth quarter of the Super Bowl that a teammate had to call a play in the huddle.
Video: Mitchell Describes Scene In Eagles' Huddle

"He fought to the end," center Hank Fraley told Comcast SportsNet on Monday. "He didn't get a playcall in one time. He mumbled and (wideout) Freddie Mitchell yelled out the play we were trying to bring in. He was puking at the same time trying to hold it in."Offensive lineman Jon Runyan also echoed Fraley's comments in the same interview aired on two local radio stations on Tuesday morning after the Comcast report.And Mitchell confirmed to NBC 10 News in an interview that Mitchell was forced to call out a play with less than three minutes left in the game."He was definitely having some kind of complications," Mitchell said. "It was hard. He kind of tried to give the hand signals to the team. I knew he was thinking and I finished the play up."Receiver Greg Lewis echoed those comments to NBC 10.McNabb was visibly shaken just before halftime when the helmet of Patriots lineman Richard Seymour struck his jaw on a tackle. Videotape shows that McNabb seem dazed after the big hit, rubbed his jaw several times on the field and looked at his hand to see if anything was on it.
Tonight Show's Eubanks Does Gross Stunt To Pay Off Super Bowl Bet

Slideshow: See Kevin Eubanks Take One For The Eagles
Video: Eubanks Pays Up On Bet
McNabb was shaky in Philadelphia's 24-21 loss to the England Patriots on Sunday, throwing for 357 yards and three touchdowns, was also getting picked off three times. McNabb misfired on several passes early, held the ball too long in other instances and made several poor decisions. One of the best scramblers in the NFL, McNabb had zero yards rushing on just one carry and was sacked four times. An Eagles spokesman said Tuesday that McNabb wasn't injured. However, he said McNabb could have been feeling sick -- he had been fighting a cold earlier in the week. McNabb's agent did not immediately return a phone call Tuesday. McNabb left Tuesday for the Pro Bowl where he will start for the NFC on Sunday. He had the best season of his six-year career, leading the Eagles to the Super Bowl for the first time in 24 years after three straight losses in the NFC championship game. He set a team record with 3,875 yards passing and became the first NFL player to throw for more than 30 touchdowns (31) and fewer than 10 interceptions (eight). His passer rating of 104.7 was second in the NFC.
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"He fought to the end," center Hank Fraley told Comcast SportsNet on Monday. "He didn't get a playcall in one time. He mumbled and (wideout) Freddie Mitchell yelled out the play we were trying to bring in. He was puking at the same time trying to hold it in."Offensive lineman Jon Runyan also echoed Fraley's comments in the same interview aired on two local radio stations on Tuesday morning after the Comcast report.And Mitchell confirmed to NBC 10 News in an interview that Mitchell was forced to call out a play with less than three minutes left in the game."He was definitely having some kind of complications," Mitchell said. "It was hard. He kind of tried to give the hand signals to the team. I knew he was thinking and I finished the play up."Receiver Greg Lewis echoed those comments to NBC 10.McNabb was visibly shaken just before halftime when the helmet of Patriots lineman Richard Seymour struck his jaw on a tackle. Videotape shows that McNabb seem dazed after the big hit, rubbed his jaw several times on the field and looked at his hand to see if anything was on it.
Tonight Show's Eubanks Does Gross Stunt To Pay Off Super Bowl Bet

McNabb was shaky in Philadelphia's 24-21 loss to the England Patriots on Sunday, throwing for 357 yards and three touchdowns, was also getting picked off three times. McNabb misfired on several passes early, held the ball too long in other instances and made several poor decisions. One of the best scramblers in the NFL, McNabb had zero yards rushing on just one carry and was sacked four times. An Eagles spokesman said Tuesday that McNabb wasn't injured. However, he said McNabb could have been feeling sick -- he had been fighting a cold earlier in the week. McNabb's agent did not immediately return a phone call Tuesday. McNabb left Tuesday for the Pro Bowl where he will start for the NFC on Sunday. He had the best season of his six-year career, leading the Eagles to the Super Bowl for the first time in 24 years after three straight losses in the NFC championship game. He set a team record with 3,875 yards passing and became the first NFL player to throw for more than 30 touchdowns (31) and fewer than 10 interceptions (eight). His passer rating of 104.7 was second in the NFC.
Copyright 2005 by NBC10.com The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.







