Former Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb said he was "really taken aback" by bullying accusations from former teammate Shawn Andrews.
"That is ridiculous," McNabb told the Philadelphia Inquirer. "I don't know what comments you expect to get from me, but that is news to me and completely false. For me to bully anybody, that sounds unbelievable."
Andrews, a two-time Pro Bowl guard, said in an interview with Sync Weekly, a website based in Little Rock, Ark., that McNabb "was degrading to me and spread rumors." Among the rumors, Andrews said, was one that he was gay.
The Eagles released Andrews in 2010 after seven years that included the two Pro Bowl appearances as well as a series of other issues, including back injuries and his 2008 refusal to report to training camp. Andrews told Sync Weekly that he was struggling with depression. When he did report to camp, he apologized in front of the entire team. McNabb, he said, "was rolling his eyes at me the whole time."
Andrews' accusations first surfaced in an interview with Philadelphia sports-talk station 97.5 The Fanatic earlier this month. They were prompted by the Miami Dolphins' situation, in which Jonathan Martin accused fellow offensive lineman Richie Incognito of bullying and harassment.
"I don't really understand why this would come about, one, and two, how this would even be an accusation," McNabb told the Inquirer. "If there's anything I can say, I was more than open to Shawn. I always tried to be open to all the guys."
The Inquirer story included corroboration of McNabb's version from three other former Eagles teammates, Brian Westbrook, Jeff Garcia and Reno Mahe.
"I never saw anything negative or evil come out of [McNabb]," Garcia said.
