Washington Media Play McNabb Race Card

The media battle in Washington over Donovan McNabb’s benching took an ugly turn when a prominent writer said McNabb’s coach should be fired for “racial coding.”

Author John Feinstein appeared on a local Comcast Sports talks show in Washington and said Mike Shanahan should be fired because of what Feinstein thinks are racial comments Shanahan made about McNabb.

Feinstein has written several bestselling sports books and is also a columnist for the Washington Post, the local newspaper that has vocally supported McNabb since he arrived in Washington from Philadelphia on Easter night.

Feinstein also said Shanahan was using another prominent reporter from a rival sports network, ESPN’s Chris Mortensen, to put out the negative comments about McNabb.

Here is the exact quote from Finestein:

“The situation with Shanahan and McNabb has gotten completely out of control. Shanahan simply won't say 'I made a mistake. I got mad at Donovan, I put Rex Grossman in the game and it was a mistake.' Instead, the first spin is that he doesn't know the terminology of the two-minute offense, i.e. he's stupid. The next day, it's, well, his cardiovascular, he's out of shape, i.e. he's fat. Now, he's leaking to Chris Mortensen -- who is culpable in this, too, because I guarantee he didn't call Donovan McNabb for a response -- that we had to cut the playbook in half because of McNabb.”

Finestein then calls for Shanahan to be fired.

"I think there's racial coding going on here, and it's my belief that that kind of behavior is worth firing a coach for. Dan Snyder's not gonna do it, but I think it's out of control."

As of Wednesday, ESPN was not reporting Finestein’s comments and Mortensen was quiet on his Twitter account.

The open feud between Mike and Kyle Shanahan and McNabb should benefit the Eagles, who play the Redskins on Monday night.

By the numbers, the McNabb trade is looking better and better by the minute for Philadelphia. Andy Reid unloaded McNabb for Nate Allen and a fourth-round pick in the 2011 draft, and the money saved on McNabb could be put toward Michael Vick’s new contract.

And by the numbers, McNabb has played poorly in Washington. Both Vick and Kevin Kolb have outplayed McNabb, and McNabb is the 25th ranked passer in the NFL.

On Tuesday, McNabb said he’s cleared the air with Mike and Kyle Shanahan over his benching. But he then took a shot at Mike Shanahan on his weekly radio show..

McNabb confirmed that he was never told directly before the Lions game that he could be benched, which contradicts a public statement from Kyle Shanahan.

When asked if he was told this week he could be benched again, he said, “I haven’t talked to anybody.”

But he did make one comment that will raise eyebrows.

Link: Listen To Radio Show

"The thing about it is you have to be able to handle certain situations, and handle it with class and be professional at all times. There's ways of answering questions, to get your answer out there but still do it in a fashionable manner." McNabb said.

"Sometimes you say something you mean, then you try to clean it up, but it is just saying what's really on your mind at that time and be able to get it out the right way," McNabb added.

"Once you begin to go deeper into things and try and explain it, then you really just make yourself look bad," he said.

Mike Shanahan has been vilified in the Washington media for his in-depth explanation of his decision to bench McNabb, so that last sentence may get some attention in the D.C. area.