McNabb

PHILADELPHIA -- Donovan McNabb can spend the rest of his NFL career in a city that originally didn't want him.

McNabb and the Philadelphia Eagles agreed to a new 12-year contract Friday that could be worth up to a record $115 million.

The total potential value would be the highest in NFL history, topping the 10-year, $103 million contract Drew Bledsoe signed with the New England Patriots in March 2001.

McNabb's deal runs through 2013, and includes a $20.5 million signing bonus, said his agent, Fletcher Smith. McNabb will receive $13.5 million of that bonus up front and the rest after next season. Including the bonus, he'll get $30 million over the next three years, leaving $9.5 million in base salary over that span.

''It means a lot,'' McNabb said. ''You see great players, Hall of Fame players that didn't stay with their team. To know that I'll be pretty much locked in to the Philly area is a wonderful feeling for me, my family, where I can continue to get better and better and know that I'll be wearing the wonderful green.''

McNabb didn't get a positive welcome to Philadelphia when the Eagles selected him with the No. 2 overall choice in the 1999 draft. He was booed loudly by a group of Eagles fans who wanted the team to select running back Ricky Williams.

But McNabb quickly won them over with his strong arm and exceptional scrambling ability, the increasingly preferred style for pro quarterbacks.

''We all know it started out pretty shaky early on,'' McNabb said. ''With the help of the guys that are here on the team, in the organization, as well as in the community, we were all able to stay focused and do our jobs.

McNabb, a two-time Pro Bowl selection was in the fourth year of a seven-year contract under which he received a signing bonus of $11.3 million, the highest ever given by the Eagles.

He was scheduled to make $3 million this year, $6.2 million in 2003, and $7.5 million and $8.2 million the following two seasons.

The Eagles can void the new contract at any time. McNabb can opt out of the final three seasons by reaching certain performance incentives.

''The obvious advantage is he gets the up-front money now and gets to put it in his pocket now as opposed to waiting two or three years,'' Smith said.

McNabb, in his third full season as a starter, is off to the best start of his career, completing 61.3 percent of his passes for 791 yards, eight touchdowns and only two interceptions. He also leads the Eagles (2-1) with 118 yards rushing and two touchdowns.

Philadelphia is 26-15 in games that McNabb started, and his touchdown-to-interception ratio of 62-34 ranks fourth in league history, behind those of Steve Young, Jeff Garcia and Joe Montana.

''I don't think there's a sports franchise in America that wouldn't like to be in our position to have a franchise quarterback that is as talented, as humble, as self-confident, as team-oriented,'' Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie said.

McNabb emerged as one of the league's top players in just his second season, leading the Eagles to an 11-5 record in 2000 and into the second round of the playoffs. He finished second to St. Louis Rams running back Marshall Faulk in NFL MVP voting that season.

McNabb again led the Eagles to 11 victories last season, and helped them reach the NFC title game.

''Donovan is not only a great football player, he's a great leader,'' Eagles coach Andy Reid said. ''That's very important, especially in the huddle to get people to listen.

''With Donovan, it's like I have a coach out on the field that can take control and get the offense in the right direction. Not only that, he's very unique because he's respected by all positions. Sometimes quarterbacks can alienate themselves from other members of the team. He doesn't do that. He makes his way around the locker room and gets everybody together. That's a very unique characteristic.''