Washington Redskins quarterback Donovan McNabb’s stint on the bench won’t be limited to just Sunday’s game against the Dallas Cowboys. Instead, head coach Mike Shanahan has taken the drastic measure of benching McNabb for the rest of the season, opting to start Rex Grossman in his place.
Donovan McNabb Benched For Remainder Of 2010; Future With Redskins In Doubt
When asked about McNabb’s status with the Redskins beyond 2010, Shanahan didn’t mince words. It’s apparent the Washington head coach has already made up his mind about McNabb’s future and it doesn’t look bright for the 12-year NFL veteran.
“I told Donovan that there’s nothing he could do in the three games that would influence me of what he’s done over the last 13 games,” Shanahan said. “I said right now I’ve got to do what I think’s in the best interest of this organization, and that’s to get a good feel of where we’re at in the quarterback position.”
“I also told him that I could not guarantee him that he would be back next year. I said, ‘I can’t guarantee you that.’ ”
McNabb will act as the backup quarterback against the Cowboys before falling to third-string for the season’s final two games. Ahead of him, Grossman will be the starter, with John Beck serving as the backup. As is the case with third-string quarterbacks in the NFL, McNabb won’t technically be active for the final two weeks of the season, instead only seeing live-action should both Grossman and Beck go down with injuries during a game.
The fall of McNabb has been sudden and stunning. Just one month ago, McNabb signed a $78 million extension with the team. Much of the contract wasn’t guaranteed, however, allowing the Redskins to break the agreement as soon as the end of the 2010 season.
Though his performance has been less than solid, players in the Washington locker room are reportedly extremely unhappy with how Shanahan has handled the situation. With the season all but over for Washington, the next three weeks just got a whole lot more entertaining with the news of McNabb’s benching and the unrest within the Redskins’ ranks.
For the latest on McNabb’s benching, check out SB Nation DC and Hogs Haven.
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