Donovan McNabb was back on the other side of the microphone Friday when the former Syracuse quarterback addressed the media at Manley Field House.

McNabb, who will have his jersey retired at halftime of the SU-Wake Forest game on Saturday afternoon, reminisced about his playing days and looked ahead to the unveiling ceremony.

Fourteen years after leaving the Orangemen as one of the most decorated players in school history, he returned. And with him, he brought back his trademark smile.

“Being here in this facility brings back a lot of memories,” McNabb said. “A lot of this stuff didn’t look like this when I was here, but it still has that same feeling walking through these doors.

“It feels like Coach (Paul) P(asqualoni) should be walking around that corner telling me to get in the weight room, or to go do something.”

McNabb said he’s stayed in close contact with many of his former Syracuse teammates like Rob Konrad and Kevin Johnson as he’s transitioned from NFL stardom to life as an NFL analyst for FOX Sports 1.

McNabb is also focused on helping the next generation of Syracuse athletes. That’s why he stays involved in the university, and why he joined the Syracuse board of trustees last year.

Saturday, though, will be all about No. 5.

“I’m going to try to treat it just like we’re playing Miami. That last game in the Dome, 66-13,” McNabb said. “Probably, y’all were like 6 or 7. Don’t make me feel old, but it was a wonderful time and one in which I will always remember.”

In that game, McNabb tallied five touchdowns – three on the ground and two through the air. His career ended with Syracuse’s 31-10 loss to Florida in the Orange Bowl, but that regular-season finale helped him to a fifth-place finish in the Heisman Trophy voting that year.

“We approached it just like it was our Super Bowl,” McNabb said of the game against Miami (Fla.), “and coming out of that tunnel on Saturday, that’s how I’m going to approach it, like it’s coming out of the Super Bowl tunnel, looking at my teammates and being able to take it all in.”

Many teammates from that era will be in attendance tomorrow for the unveiling of McNabb’s No. 5 jersey near the Carrier Dome ceiling.

And when he steps to the microphone, he will almost certainly flash his famous smile and receive one of the loudest ovations of the afternoon.

Published on November 1, 2013 at 1:40 pm

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