Reid, McNabb Bond Still Strong

Reid, McNabb Bond Still Strong

As they emphatically embraced one another in the waning moments of their improbable come-from-behind victory over the Washington Redskins in the Nation's Capital last Sunday, jubilant coach and player gave added dimension to the phrase “waiting to exhale.”

As they have for much of this hard-knock life season, Donovan McNabb and Andy Reid seemed to be holding on for dear life when they sought each other out along the sidelines to salute one another and take their respective bows after again displaying a level of resolve each has come to long admire and expect of the other.

“A lot of love there, a lot of love,” McNabb told the Philly Inquirer of the poignant moment shared by the pair. “In situations like this it's important that you continue to have confidence in the next guy.”

Even though the “situation” is like none McNabb and Reid have ever encountered in all their time together as leaders of the Philadelphia Eagles  Nine seasons and four consecutive NFC East Division titles into their reign, adversity has crept up on the Eagles this season as never before .

And the end result has been the Philly masses calling for both the heads of McNabb and Reid alike, causing some to wonder if it could somehow cause a rift to build between the two themselves. But then Sunday happened, all but putting aside any such notion and reaffirming the unwavering respect each clearly holds for the other.

“Donovan's been under the microscope a little bit,” said Reid, never one to exude much hyperbole. “My hat's off to him for persevering through some of the things that have gone on. That was a gutty performance.”

But then, so much of what coach and player have accomplished in Philadelphia has been about those very attributes. Take Sunday against the Redskins for example, where McNabb threw two of his season-high four touchdowns in the fourth quarter, a period long after which he was hit so hard by blitzing Redskins' safety LaRon Landry that his throwing arm went practically numb.

And Andy Reid, heartbroken or not, was there to take it all in. Take it in only days after a judge seemingly threw his entire personal life into total disarray with the decision to sentence two of his sons to prison on drug charges.

“We have to continue to remain tough and tight within,” philosophized McNabb, understanding that probably no longer remains an issue for anyone in gauging the commitment he and Reid share among themselves.

For that, clearly, is the tie that binds them.

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