Donovan McNabb is changing uniforms and staying in the NFC East.
The Philadelphia Eagles have traded McNabb to the Washington Redskins for a 2010 second-round pick (No. 37 overall) and either a third- or fourth-round draft pick in 2011, the team announced Sunday.
"Donovan McNabb was more than a franchise quarterback for this team," said Eagles chairman Jeffrey Lurie in a statement. "He truly embodied all of the attributes of a great quarterback and of a great person. He has been an excellent representative of this organization and the entire National Football League both on and off the field.
"I look forward to honoring him as of the greatest Eagles of all-time and hopefully see him enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton one day. I wish Donovan and his beautiful family great health and joy for many, many years to come."
McNabb, the Eagles' first-round draft pick in 1999 and a six-time Pro Bowl selection, led the franchise to five NFC Championship Games and one Super Bowl in 11 seasons in Philadelphia.
"I'm really excited about my future with the Washington Redskins," McNabb said in a statement. "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."
Trading McNabb to a division opponent could haunt Philadelphia for years, and fans already are questioning the decision.
"We thought this was the best for Donovan and the compensation was right," Eagles coach Andy Reid said. "We surely took into consideration Donovan's feelings."
McNabb is entering the final year of a contract and it's unknown whether he is negotiating an extension with the Redskins. Reid said the possibility McNabb could refuse to go to another team or decline to extend his contract was not a factor.
"Donovan would've played anywhere because that's the kind of person he is," Reid said. "He's happy to be there."
The trade is the boldest move to date for new Redskins coach Mike Shanahan and could spell the end in Washington for Jason Campbell, the starter for 3½ seasons. Shanahan already has signed free agent Rex Grossman as a backup and has been actively scouting the top quarterbacks available in next month's draft, when the Redskins will have the No. 4 overall pick.
Campbell has yet to sign his first-round tender as a restricted free agent, reports NFL Network's Jason La Canfora via league sources, and Buffalo, Oakland, Jacksonville and Carolina could well be among the teams to eventually land him. A trade seems more likely than signing an offer sheet at this point, according to La Canfora. Teams have until April 15 to sign restricted free agents to an offer sheet.
Shanahan can only hope the 33-year-old McNabb works out as well as the last big-time Washington-Philadelphia quarterback deal. The Eagles in 1964 sent Sonny Jurgensen to the Redskins, where he played 11 seasons until he was 40 and became a Hall of Famer.
The Redskins waited until late in the evening to announce the trade and did not make Shanahan available for comment.
"Donovan is an accomplished quarterback who has been a proven winner in the National Football League," the coach said in a statement released by the team. "I have long admired his competitiveness and feel he will be an outstanding addition to the Redskins and our community. He knows our division and the roadmap to success in the NFC East."
McNabb, the No. 2 overall pick in the 1999 draft, leaves as the franchise leader in yards passing (32,873), completions (2,801), attempts (4,746), completion percentage (59.0) and touchdown passes (216). He also rushed for 3,249 yards and 28 TDs.
The emergence of Kevin Kolb last season made McNabb expendable. Kolb, who has started two games in three seasons, now becomes the starter, with Michael Vick as his the backup.
La Canfora also reports that Kolb does not have a contract extension at this point, according to league sources, and there have been no recent talks between his representatives and the Eagles. Given Philadelphia's strong history of locking up key young players with long-term deals, it would not be surprising if the Eagles lock up Kolb before the start of the 2010 season.
McNabb threw for 3,553 yards and 22 touchdowns with 10 interceptions in 14 games last season, leading the Eagles to the playoffs. His passer rating of 92.9 was the third-highest in his career.
But McNabb played poorly in a loss to Dallas in Week 17 that cost Philadelphia a division title and a first-round bye. He also struggled in a loss to the Cowboys the following week in the wild-card game.
Reid said immediately after the season that McNabb would return in 2010. He repeated that several times throughout the offseason until acknowledging last month the team was listening to offers for all three of its QBs.
McNabb then issued a statement saying he wished to remain with the Eagles, but understood the situation and hoped for a quick resolution.
"Donovan is the ultimate professional," Eagles president Joe Banner said. "He has an incredible work ethic and has been an integral part of our success. Over the years, Donovan has always carried himself with a great deal of dignity. He's an excellent role model for young men and women from across the region. In my mind, he'll always be remembered as one of the greatest Eagles of all time."
The Eagles were 92-49-1 in regular-season games that McNabb started and 9-7 in the playoffs.
McNabb overcame numerous injuries and controversies throughout his career, including criticism from Rush Limbaugh and a feud with former teammate Terrell Owens. He sustained injuries that ended his regular season in November in 2002, 2005 and 2006. McNabb missed a total of 24 games because of injuries. The Eagles were 14-10 in those games.
The Associated Press contributed to this report
