Donovan's Revenge

McNabb inherited his humility from his parents. Sam McNabb is a retired electrical engineer, Wilma McNabb a nurse. Long before the Limbaugh snub, Donovan got a harsh lesson in racism. When he was 8, the McNabbs moved from the South Side of Chicago to suburban Dolton, Ill. They were one of the first African-American families to settle in Dolton. Shortly after they arrived, someone vandalized their home. Neither McNabb nor his parents carried a chip. They sent him to Mount Carmel High School, a diverse Catholic school on the South Side, where he honed not only his passing game but also his stand-up act. He would mimic the coaches, break-dance in the locker room--anything to keep the team loose. He hasn't stopped. When asked to name something he admired about rotund Eagles coach Andy Reid, McNabb said, "His healthy eating."

Jokes aside, McNabb clearly knows the score going into this year's Super Bowl. Only one other black quarterback, Doug Williams of the 1987 Washington Redskins, has won the big game. "It's not overblown," McNabb says of his place in history. "But I won't make it into a big issue." So his teammates will. McNabb's favorite receiver, superstar Terrell Owens, recuperating from a broken ankle, insists he'll play against doctor's orders to get his QB the ring.

The Patriots are also rushing toward history as they try to become the first team since the Dallas Cowboys (1992, '93 and '95) to win three Super Bowls in four years, giving the Patriots a legitimate claim to best-team-ever status. "I've heard this matchup called 'dynasty versus destiny,'" says McNabb. "I'm going with destiny."