McNabb says he’s glad to hear Eagles coach Reid wants him back next season

McNabb happy to stay in Philly

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Even wearing his familiar No. 5, Donovan McNabb looked a little different Wednesday in an NFC Pro Bowl jersey.

“I look good in blue, don’t I?” he said.

McNabb wasn’t dropping a hint about changing uniforms. He said he was happy to hear Philadelphia coach Andy Reid wants him back in Eagles green next season.

“I don’t want to be anywhere else but Philly,” McNabb said following the first practice for Sunday’s Pro Bowl. “I don’t believe in starting somewhere and going somewhere else to finish your career. I believe in starting somewhere and finishing what you’ve started.”

There was speculation about McNabb’s future after he struggled in consecutive losses to Dallas to end the season. The second defeat came in an NFC wild-card playoff game, and fans in Philly took losing the way they always do: badly.

“When you’re playing in Philadelphia, obviously there’s up and there’s downs,” McNabb said. “Am I mad at them for responding that way? No. We were upset as well. In my 11 years, do I think we should have won a Super Bowl? Absolutely. Am I upset that we didn’t compete better in the last two games and put ourselves in a better position this year? Absolutely. That’s what drives me going into the offseason to try to correct that.”

Reid said McNabb will be back for a 12th season in Philadelphia. The quarterback had the third-highest passer rating of his career in 2009 and made the Pro Bowl for the fifth time. He has one year left on his contract.

McNabb has led the Eagles to five NFC championship games — going 1-4 — and one Super Bowl defeat. He said they’re close to being a title-caliber team.

“I don’t think we’re far off at all,” he said. “It’s a couple of players away. …

“My goal is to win a Super Bowl and bring it back to Philadelphia. We have given them some great years. We just haven’t been able to finish. I think good things are to happen pretty soon.”