Michael Strahan collected 141.5 career sacks in 15 seasons for the Giants, which ranks fifth in NFL history. He also set the single-season sack record with 22.5 in 2001.

On Monday, the Eagles reacted to the retirement of one of the game's all-time greats.

Both Tra Thomas and Jon Runyan put Strahan in the same category with Reggie White, the Hall of Fame end who is second on the all-time sack list with 198 just two behind record-holder Bruce Smith.

Donovan McNabb has come to know Strahan quite well. Of the 64 different quarterbacks Strahan sacked during his career, McNabb was sacked the most – a total of 12.5 times. In fact, 21.5 of Strahan's career sacks came against the Eagles, the most against any opponent. McNabb also placed Strahan among the best to ever play the game .

Jon Runyan and Michael Strahan had some memorable battles over the years

Brian Westbrook showed the Super Bowl champion respect by saying, "I'm glad not to face him two times a year."

Thomas had a mixed reaction in regards to the long-time rival's departure from the game.

"Part of me feels kind of sad that a great player like that had to shut it down," said the 33-year-old left tackle. "But in the same breath, we are kind of glad that he's gone."

Even though Strahan played for a division opponent, Thomas was inspired by Strahan's play.

"He was always a great player, a great inspiration to me for playing the years that he did and the level that he played at," he said. "He was definitely a great motivator for me. I think New York is definitely going to miss him because there is so much that he brought to that team. We are sad but glad."

The one Eagle that faced off against Strahan more than any other is right tackle Jon Runyan, who has been with the team since signing as a free agent in 2000. He is a little skeptical about whether Strahan is gone for good.

"Retirement doesn't mean anything," Runyan said.  "All you have to do is sign back up and play again. As of now he's done, but anything can change.  People get hurt, money persuades people - we'll see."

Runyan has one interesting reason for why he is upset in seeing the Giants' all-time sack leader hang it up.

"Now I have to spend more time studying other people," Runyan said. "So technically, it makes my job harder."

The fact Strahan has retired is not strange to Runyan.

"I think the strange part is that we have played against each other so many times," he said. "That's the odd part of the whole thing, so now we are getting back to the norm.  You think about a situation where the guy exits winning a Super Bowl - going out on top - if you could write a book that's the way you'd want to end it.

Strahan's ability to play the game is what Runyan says made him so special. 

"He'll tell you he is not the fastest guy in the world but he is very smart," he said.  "He knows how to play the game and if you make a mistake he is going to take advantage of it. He is very good at that, just being patient, waiting for his time to come. 

In the last month, Runyan was with Strahan going over old clips with NFL Films. Runyan said it was just like spending time with an old friend.

"You have to have the ability to turn it on and turn it off on and off the field because you can't live like that," he said. "You can't live like a crazy man running around the field hitting people all the time. That's what makes it fun because you can sit down and talk to a guy like that because you respect each other professionally and you just go about your business."

McNabb appreciated Strahan's consistency.

"I think a lot of it was his enthusiasm for the game," McNabb said. "He had that 'dog' in him. He loved what he did. In the last six or eight years, he was among the tops in the game in terms of quarterback sacks. Year in and year out, you knew what you were going to get from him. He worked hard.

"I'm not going to miss him. There are a couple more guys over there on their line and we're waiting on their retirement, but he's a great guy who decided to leave the game. He won't be far away."

OTHER PRACTICE OBSERVATIONS

• The Eagles, coincidentally enough, spent a portion of Monday's practice working against the Giants offensive and defensive schemes, and it was Kevin Kolb, not McNabb, who took many of the reps at quarterback.
  
  That led to speculation that McNabb's arm is hurting. McNabb was asked after practice if he is concerned about his arm.
  
  "No," he said. "I know it will get better."
  
  Exactly what "it" is was not made clear. McNabb didn't want to answer questions on the subject, but he did answer when asked if he expected more or fewer practice reps for the remainder of this camp, which lasts through Thursday.
  
  "We'll see. We'll see," said McNabb. "We're just taking it slow."
  
• Shawn Andrews had an excused day of missing the voluntary practices, and in his place at right guard was Winston Justice. To date, Justice has played only the tackle positions in this offense. But the 2006 second-round draft pick stepped in and lined up between Jamaal Jackson and Jon Runyan on Monday.
  
• The heat is very definitely an issue. Temperatures hovered around 100 degrees as the Eagles practiced for one hour and 50 minutes. "You have to stay hydrated," said McNabb.
  
• As they have done in the past, the Eagles will devote a portion of their practices this week to working on the rest of the NFC East opponents. Washington and Dallas are next after the Eagles took a look at the Giants' scheme on Monday.
  
• McNabb, Brian Westbrook and Brian Dawkins were guests of Eagles Owner Jeffrey Lurie on Sunday night at the Lakers-Celtics game in Boston. McNabb, a devoted Chicago Bulls fan, said he has no specific rooting interest in the NBA Finals. Westbrook is rooting for Boston, primarily because he has followed Kevin Garnett since his days in Minnesota.
  
  "I've always been one of his fans," said Westbrook.