During its 116 years of storied tradition, Mount Carmel has produced many influential scholars and successful athletes. One shining example is Donovan McNabb, a six-time Pro Bowler in the NFL.   McNabb returned home to MC on Wednesday, May 18 to present the Wilson Golden Football to the school, commemorating his participation in Super Bowl XXXIX in 2004.  McNabb’s golden football is one of five earned by Caravan alumni.

More important than the football McNabb presented was his message to the students of Mount Carmel.

McNabb was accompanied by his father and his pastor, demonstrating to everyone what he believes is most important in life.  His speech reflected this, as he explained that he now has to be a role model for his children through the good and the bad.  The adversity he has faced, whether in the NFL or off the field, has made him the man he is today, one whom Mount Carmel is proud to call one of our own.

The impressive NFL statistics were left out of McNabb’s speech.  Instead he chose to talk about more personal matters, ones to which each individual in the gym could relate.  He specifically addressed all of the grade levels, from freshmen to seniors, offering individualized advice for the upcoming years and leaving many, including sophomore Joey Egan, inspired.  “The speech really it home.  It motivated me it do more than I already have been doing.”

McNabb had high praises for Mount Carmel and the type of education it offers.  “Carmel was a building block for everything that happened to me; it instilled in me a great work ethic.”  This same work ethic is what he preached to the varsity football team who were lucky enough to have a personalized talk.

Junior football player Sean Farrell felt motivated by McNabb’s visit and message.  “It was great to see him back at the school, especially after everything he has accomplished.  He repeatedly told us to trust our coaches and to stay on the right path, so that we can succeed as well.”

Before McNabb went onto a successful NFL career, he led the Caravan to a Prep Bowl win in his senior year. He recalled that “we played the City Championship at Soldier Field and beat Bogan, but I went without a touchdown the entire game.  I actually got tackled at the one yard line; it is something I (still) think about often.”

He has fond memories of his days at Mount Carmel, when he learned to “outwork everyone else in order to get what he wanted.”  That tenacity set him apart from many others, and perhaps prepared him to deal successfully with the kind of adversity that is inevitable in professional football.

In 2006, McNabb suffered a torn ACL and meniscus that caused him to miss the remainder of the season.  Despite this setback, he came back in only eight months, four months ahead of schedule.  McNabb credited this toughness and determination to his mindset.  “I’m a very competitive guy and I make sure to always carry that underdog mentality.  When someone (doctor) tells me I can’t do something, it pushes me even more.”

After the assembly, as students prepared to return to class, McNabb stayed in the Cacciatore Center talking and signing a autographs for those who lingered behind.  He smiled and laughed, looking as if he felt right at home.