Getty ImagesEagles quarterback Donovan McNabb did not throw up in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl XXXIX. No one at the game saw him throw up. No one watching the game at home saw him throw up. It didn’t happen.
But there’s a persistent myth that McNabb puked in the Super Bowl, and when he was asked about it on Reddit, he took umbrage.
“No, I didn’t puke. It’s unfortunate that we still talk about this 11 years after playing in the Super Bowl. But, no. That did not happen and hopefully we can stop talking about it. Once again, go watch the game tape,” McNabb wrote.
So where did the myth come from? It seems to be a combination of the fact that McNabb did throw up on the field in a regular season game once, and the fact that teammates discussed how exhausted McNabb was while trying to lead the Eagles down the field late in that Super Bowl loss to the Patriots. Over time, those two separate incidents have morphed into one.
It’s fair to criticize McNabb for the end of that Super Bowl, as his old teammate Terrell Owens did: Owens has pointed out that McNabb looked tired late in the game and struggled to move in the two-minute offense, and Owens is right about that. But we should put to rest the old myth about McNabb. He didn’t puke.
Who is this Donovan McNabb you speak of?
Why can’t you just shut up. Every year you have to say something else typos. The video shows you liking and even the people in Philly haven’t talked about it in years so who the heck is “talking about it”.
Who cares if he puked or not, there is no shame in puking. He let his team down with his poor conditioning, thats what he should be ashamed of.
Who cares. It’s pathetic to keep trying to be relevant.
Times have changed. It used to be a badge of honor for someone famous (especially rock musicians) to puke on stage.
I know Andy Reid catches alotta grief about late-game time management but it’s fair to wonder if what appeared to be lollygagging at the end of that game was more a case of him giving Donovan time to rest. Or maybe it was a little bit of both.
He at least metaphorically threw up all over himself
What should bother him more is his performance at the end of the SB.
Cmon Donovan….man up…..you puked.
I guess we shouldn’t believe our lying eyes.
well, you are a drunk
Freddie Mitchell was the one who went on record saying he threw up in the huddle?
Miss ya 5. It hasn’t been the same here without you.
What is the difference? T.O. and McNabb lost the only SB they ever played. Maybe if they could have acted like adults then they would have had different careers.
Too late. It’s become urban legend. It’s like Richard Gere and the gerbil. It doesn’t matter if it really happened…..it’s true to us!
He threw up in the car after the game, drunk and slumped over the steering wheel.
Dry heaves?
He should be upset over his DUI’s. Throwing to the other team was bad too. Oh yeah, and you threw up.
It makes sense that he didn’t throw up. I’ve never seen anybody puke and choke at the same time.
Some people may have puked watching him in the Super Bowl, but that’s a different issue.
well, you are a major drunk, Donovan
You guys remember when Donovan did a Reddit AMA and puked on the keyboard after TO asked a question?
At least, I think I remember that happening. Isn’t that what happened? During the Reddit AMA Super bowl?
Something like that.
At least two of his teammates (John Ritchie and Lito Sheppard) have publicly said that Donovan puked in the Superbowl.
I think I’ll defer to the witnesses in this situation.
“I love it. Throw up and then throw a touchdown.”
-Donovan McNabb, August, 2014
“I know Andy Reid catches alotta grief about late-game time management but it’s fair to wonder if what appeared to be lollygagging at the end of that game was more a case of him giving Donovan time to rest. Or maybe it was a little bit of both.”
——————————-
You are right in that if the Eagles win that game, our perception of Reid would be much more favorable, but don’t forget, he has a longer history of failing in big moments than just that one game.
OK, you just peed down your leg at the end of the game.
There, is that better?
Not a fan of McNabb, but this was indeed an Owens-spun myth perpetuated by media. A year or two later on a Monday night game, McNabb called a time out, and John Madden remarked, “I think Donovan McNabb’s tired.”
Actually I thought this was true and was impressed seeing it as someone giving everything they had to win the game. In this case knowing it is not true would actually would detract from my opinion of him. but that is pretty hard to do since I am a Vikings fan and watched his games in purple including the one with 4 yard passing in the first half that ushered in the Christian Ponder era. Not a big fan.
What is wrong with puking in a game? I watched Drew Pearson catch a touchdown pass for Dallas years ago and he got layed out drilled . He got up in the end zone, bent over from the waist and blew about a whole bottle of orange gatorade through his face mask. He then walked off the field celebrating the touchdown.
So Donavan McNabb claims to be a girly man. Good for him. The only person who would have thought less of him for puking is Donavan McNabb.
Seems to me there was video of him puking back then. I recall him stepping away from the huddle and puking. It was a big deal in the media right after the super bowl. Could it have been media lies? Please don’t tell me the media misleads and lies to the people! 😄
He threw the best bounce passes, the only problem was, wrong sport.
It was more on Andy than McNabb. If you look at his stats McNabb had no issues with 4th quarter comebacks and game winning drives. Anyways even if it did happen it wouldn’t be relevant. Throwing up happens in football, anybody that’s played beyond highschool knows that. You do it somewhere on the sidelines, chug some water, and keep on going.
Maybe he merely choked. (Then he puked).
Patriot Reign!
yes…he didn’t puke
which is why they call him ‘Captain Dry-Heave’
No, sadly, he just sucked.
He can’t stop drinking and driving, yet he’s worried about if people think he yakked in the Super Bowl?
I think maybe he has his priorities mixed up.
And reading the posts he actually said some really profound things on the AMA. I know PFT is like a blog but it’s actually a good read. Like this reply to if he wonders how history will judge him,
“When you go through life, there’s no need for you to ever look back and wonder what one man or what one woman may think of the things that you have accomplished, or maybe things you haven’t accomplished. It’s really all on self confidence and being secure in yourself. We all have hurdles, we all have obstacles that we’re faced with. But really it’s all on you and how you’re able to overcome those adversities.”
“No, I didn’t puke. It’s unfortunate that we still talk about this 11 years after playing in the Super Bowl. But, no. That did not happen and hopefully we can stop talking about it. Once again, go watch the game tape,” McNabb wrote.
No, that’s Ok. I think I’ll pass.
Something was coming out of his mouth when he was bent over, just saying.
I don’t think there is any mystery to where the myth came from. Anyone who has come to PFT and read the comments section knows that “facts” are statements made up by someone in the comments. And then repeated over and over and over
Maybe he didn’t puke but he did choke.
Donovan, NO ONE CARES! That is all.
At least he answered the question.
Donovan McNabb has puked at the game of life… Not just the Super Bowl.
Why? At least he’ll be remembered for something.
What I recall was Eagles fans claiming he puked because he was sick. It was being used as an excuse. He was being given credit for playing even though he was sick. Truth is that on that day, that was as much as McNabb had to offer and he gave it all. Clock management notwithstanding, they lost to a superior team.
The Pats lost 2 SBs to the Giants. Both were a result of NE’s D not being able to close the deal. No other excuses, save for a few lame comments about “in the grasp” by a few lame fans have ever been offered.
He puked during a timeout at Syracuse, came back on to the field and won the game for them. I saw it as a GOOD thing, not a negative.
As for the time management, I think we’ve seen in the years since, that that’s ALL on Andy Reid who STILL hasn’t learned the basic skill that most fans understand.
Tony Romo > Donovan McNabb
Sorry Don, but ALL of your teammates said you DID! I’ll believe them over you any day.
Center Hank Fraley broke the story the day after the Super Bowl on Daily News Live (csnphilly at the time) and said in an interview that Mcnabb threw up in the huddle.
He played like puke at the of his career.
puke….choke…..semantics
Why to late. This horse left the barn years ago. It will be the same for Brady and the Cheater label. He’s branded.
What do they say? Print the myth?
Oh he puked. I saw it on TV and Owens said he did after the game. McNabb and Newton are Super Bowl losers. They have ‘zero’ SB rings among them. Eli has 2 all by himself. I knew McNabb would never win a SB and I know Newton won’t either. Geaux Saints!
McNabb was gassed at the end of that Super Bowl. On the drive in question they were running a hurry up offense and he was getting hit by defensive players nearly every play. Teddy B. flattened him on the play right before he supposedly threw up. However, on that same drive he threw a TD. Its a shame the thing that didn’t happen gets remembered more than the things that did.
No, he pukes only when he drinks.
The Eagles are still the only team to beat a Vince Lombardi team for the NFL championship.
Puke, choke in this case what’s the difference?
I watched that game, Mcnabb was criticized for not going no huddle; If anyone remembers that game, he was running for his life for 4 QTRs including the drive where he took almost 5 minutes to bring the Eagles within a score. He was sacked 4 times, and the Eagles couldn’t run the ball at all… People can argue TO would have been MVP if they had won that game, but if they didn’t have Mcnabb at QB who was more mobile than most QB’s during those years, they would not have even been in that game. The Pats were a nightmare for the Eagles O-line and were probably not even playing the run. Mcnabb had every right to be tired and dry heave, throw up or whatever.. It seemed like he ran more than the WR’s and running backs during that game to avoid sacks… it was ridiculous. Criticize Mcnabb? How about criticizing that crappy offensive line, which was the reason he was tired.
“McNabb did throw up on the field in a regular season game once” at Tampa 06, at Jacksonville 02, Florida state 1998. Superbowl vs New England. Seems a lot more than once. Get your facts straight!!!
Yes, he did.
You choked and puked. We saw it.
It makes sense that he didn’t throw up. I’ve never seen anybody puke and choke at the same time.
Well, there was that one drummer for Spinal Tap…
In McNabb’s defense, he is often mistaken for Screamin’ Willie Beamen…
the video shows him puking (or it was the biggest hocker ever)
Why would puking be bad on the field unless you are a puke?
I seen’t it.
He didn’t puke. He choked.
Lito Sheppard and Jon Ritchie say otherwise.
He definitely puked. Maybe if the tool just admitted it, no one would bring it up?
He was a closet drunk when he played, which was the reason he was not in peak condition & now that he has been out of the game for a while it has shown with his two DUIs
And he puked
All I know is that McNabb is the only starting QB I’ve ever seen pulled from a game while healthy, down 6 points, with 1:50 left in the 4th quarter because of his “cardiovascular endurance”. That is more embarrassing than puking.
Whether Donovan McNubb blew chunks or whether his performance blew chunks is really the same thing. The fat QB simply was gassed and was useless. Or he choked.
If the spoiled brat cheater named Cam Cheating can learn anything as a 26 year old child, then he should see that you are never guaranteed a return to the Super Bowl. There is no point being healthy after the Super Bowl if you could have saved the game for your team by responding like a mature adult.
Whether or not he did it in the literally he and Reid both certainly did it figuratively
The Eagles faced one of the strongest Pats teams ever and made a game of it but lost to a much better team. Why are we talking about this?
Didn’t Shanahan bench him for being out of shape, he should of been a harder worker, that’s why he was just a good QB and nothing more.
The Eagles faced one of the strongest Pats teams ever and made a game of it but lost to a much better team. Why are we talking about this?
—
NO KIDDING
I believe that he didn’t throw up in the Super Bowl. I did see him throw down at the feet of his receivers all day though.
If McNabb puked in the forrest, does it make a sound?
Puke and rally! Ooops, he forgot something.
Didn’t puke, just choked.
We should consider the source of this rumor: Terrell Owens. Never afraid to throw teammates under the bus. Always a bad teammate. Screw him.
I was always a Donovan McNabb fan, so it sucks to see that he still gets hated on to this day. …it also sucks to see him get a DUI…
He had trouble breathing after taking a big hit and they landed on his ribs.
this guy is cam newton’s father right here…
I could have sworn that I saw a video clip of the Super Bowl highlights on TV (not some altered internet video), definitely from the Super Bowl, of McNabb lifting his helmet by the face mask and puking right on the field.
I’m more interested in him clearing up whether or not he knew that NFL games could end in ties.
He once stated that he never knew that a game could end in a tie. Then everybody in sports news ran with it. Sounds unlikely. Most armchair, casual fans know that regular season games can end in ties. It usually happens once every couple of seasons.
He had to have been sarcastic when he said that. No?
He’d probably have an easier time clearing this up if his teammates in the huddle would stop telling people he puked.
McNabb is an idiot. It’s on film; everyone saw it; T.O. even said he did it; no other players have disputed it.
So shut up and live with your legacy McNabb.
That was over a decade ago. YOU brought it up to remain relevant in a conversation, any conversation.
Drunk and fat during a 2 minute drill will do that to ya!
Players from that team in the huddle said he puked. Jon Runyan for one when he was on WIP.
I have that game recorded and went back and looked at the end of the fourth quarter.
In between plays when he’s bent over looking at the ground – what’s that coming out of his face mask? .. snot?
If it is … it’s a quart bottle of the stuff.
4 NFC Championship game appearances in a row. That Eagles team is better than you remember.
….go away Donavan….no one cares about u anymore.
Who cares if he did, I mean really? McNabb gave my Pats everything he had that day and I was uneasy until Rodney Harrison came down with that interception with less than a minute on the clock. I don’t know why everybody likes to knock McNabb, he was a great quarterback and many forget he put up huge numbers throwing to a bunch of nobodies for the better part of his career. Move on and leave the man alone.
I thought choking and puking was something you did after eating at Dennys’ or Chipotle?
Donovan will be forever linked with that. As another poster said about Richard Gere and the gerbil.
Yet another reason they will be known as the Futilidelphia Eagles.
rhamrhoddy says:
Feb 11, 2016 7:22 AM
I know Andy Reid catches alotta grief about late-game time management but it’s fair to wonder if what appeared to be lollygagging at the end of that game was more a case of him giving Donovan time to rest. Or maybe it was a little bit of both.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I guess Alex Smith was also exhausted and in poor condition too.
McNabb chunky soup
why are you crying ?
Cuz Donavan is getting all the big pieces .
He only pukes driving drunk now 🙂
McNabb didn’t puke until 2007 when Roger destroyed all the evidence in Foxboro that would explain why NE ran a screen play every time Philly blitzed and why NE defense knew what McNabb called in the huddle.
Roger is making us all vomit with Deflategate stuff here in 2015/16 and he surely made us all vomit in 2007. Shame on you Roger – I agree GoodellMustGo.. Goodell must go…
Given his history he may not have puked but I bet he played the game with a hang over.
He didn’t puke. We get it.
Let’s see him deny that he didn’t choke, though.
Well Donovan – we apologize. We didn’t mean puke we meant choked.
* pukegate
Don’t worry. Someone who drinks as much as this guy does knows when he’s puking.
He choked, not puked.
Who cares get over it
I saw the game- HE PUKED!
He puked? I no idea. I just thought he sucked. Hopefully that doesn’t make him upset.
Upchuck Donovan, we thinketh thou protesteth too much.
Hank Fraley, Jon Runyan, and Freddie Mitchell said that McNabb puked before Owens did.
Gives a whole new meaning to the Campbell’s Chunky soups he was hawking back then.
Maybe that’s what did it, too much Chunky soup served under the bleachers by mom.
Puked on the field?
More like, pooped in the bed.
But really, who cares?
It wasn’t that you puked on the biggest stage Donovan…….
It was that you CHOKED on the biggest stage…
From the stands it looked like he may have which gave Owens’ account credibility.
If this were any other player, we would praise them for a gutsy performance, playing until they puked… Especially if they had won.
You didn’t puke literally but figuratively you threw up all over yourself in those last two minutes.
As a Bucs fan, I remember the “puke game” quite well for a number of reasons, one being that McNabb barfed after a long scramble into the red zone late in the game.
But the real reason I remember it is that Matt Bryant hit a 62-yeard field goal to win the game.
Will his HOF bust have vomit on it?
He did throw up at a game in Jacksonville, which is the same place the Super Bowl was played at that year. So maybe they got those games confused. The game was really hot in Jax that day.
Well, they were playing the Patriots so clearly they must have cheated to cause McNabb to puke. Or they didn’t. Maybe it was just another Belichick Jedi mind trick? Either way, they’re clearly guilty and should have more draft picks taken away.
Funny Deal is people call him sorry. But he has better career numbers than
Troy Aikman
Jim Kelly and
Steve Young
Couple with the fact ALL of his career with the exception on 1 YR, he never had a Mike Irvin/Andre Reed/ or a Jerry Rice(TO) to throw to years on end like these guys. No stud Arab either. He also rushed for darn near 4000 yards. I think people are a little short sighted on McNabb and what he was. Dude was a stud.
He did not puke…HE CHOKED…not that it is relevant at this point.
So, what you were really doing on the field during that game was choking not puking.
Yes he did
I’ve respected Terrell Owens ever since that game. No matter what he says or does or what antics he’s been involved in, he put in a superheroic effort in that game. He pretty much carried the team and willed them to the brink of winning the game. His team didn’t deserve a Super Bowl win that day, but Owens did.
It’s like he was the only Eagle on the field with a sense of urgency and gravity. The gap in that regard between him and McNabb and the coaches was so noticeable.
Big deal. Seriously, athletes puke all the time. The combination of extreme effort and pressure takes a toll. Its heroic when they battle on. Honestly, whether or not McNabb puked in that game never figured into my estimation of his performance or his ability as an athlete. If he puked its nothing to be ashamed of. If he didn’t? Well maybe you could argue he should have been trying harder. This is a non-issue.
I could care less if he puked. He played a terrible game while the rest of the team played well enough to win.
T.O. played a hell of a game, and had they pulled out a win would’ve been MVP.
McNabb kept throwing picks. That’s why they lost.
He puked in college during his bowl games (especially the NYE bowl game against KState in 98)…and yes, he puked in this game too. He puked in big games, right before he choked
Actually the way he played made me puke.
Did he have an anxiety attack then???
Since it was just Gatorade and wasn’t technically vomit, in his mind, then he didn’t puke.
the Real Issue with McPuke is he was out of shape, He had puked in games previously. At the end of a game in Jacksonville the year before he puked, and he was clearly overweight and struggling to pick up the pace when it mattered most for the Eagles in the Super Bowl against New England. He truly believes he is a Hall Of Fame QB which is a joke, he never passed the eye test in games as a Hall Of Famer. He never carried a team on his back to a championship, in fact he came up so small in big games that this will be the legacy he carries into history, NOT the Hall Of Fame. Stats never tell the entire story, especially in Football.
Puking is not a new thing for Donovan. I get the feeling he likely ruined a car or two the nights he was pulled over for a DUI.
One would think McNabb should be more upset about how poorly he played at the end of that game than denying he barfed. It seems clear that the Vomiteer has some ego issues.