Donovan McNabb says he's not interested in an apology from now-former ESPN analyst Rush Limbaugh, who said that McNabb isn't "as good as everyone says he has been," and that "the media has been very desirous that a black quarterback do well."

Broadcast live by CNN, McNabb said during his Wednesday press conference at the NovaCare Complex it's too late for an apology.

Late Wednesday night, Limbaugh resigned from ESPN.

QB Donovan McNabb

Prior to that news, McNabb sounded off on the comments.

"He said what he said," said McNabb. "I'm sure he's not the only one that feels that way but it's somewhat shocking to actually hear that on national TV.

"An apology would do no good because he obviously thought about it before he said it."

McNabb's response prompted a number of supportive calls to the Eagles' switchboard following the press conference.

Later in the afternoon, McNabb received a telephone call from NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue about the incident. Tagliabue told McNabb to stay focused on football and not worry about outside distractions.

McNabb would not comment on the conversation with Tagliabue.

McNabb has been to three straight Pro Bowls, two consecutive NFC championship games and was runner-up for NFL MVP in his first full season as a starter. His 2003 season has gotten off to a shaky start, as McNabb admittedly struggled in the first two games of this season. He was the NFL's lowest-rated starting quarterback after losses to Tampa Bay and New England. Still, the Eagles are 36-22 in games he has started.

But Limbaugh, the new addition to and quick subtraction from ESPN's Sunday morning pre-game show, not only questioned No. 5's abilities and performance, but he touched on a social issue.

"I don't think he's been that good from the get-go," Limbaugh said. "I think what we've had here is a little social concern in the NFL. There is a little hope invested in McNabb and he got a lot of credit for the performance of this team that he didn't deserve. The defense carried this team."

Wednesday press conference offered very little in terms of the X's and O's of beating the Redskins. It did, however, offer plenty of conversation regarding African-American athletes in professional sports.

With a larger-than-normal media crowd on hand -- the Eagles received calls from The Today Show, CBS Morning News, MSNBC, CNN, ESPN, FOX and all the local news stations -- the questions were heavily-weighted toward the Limbaugh stance on McNabb and the quarterback's reaction.

QB Donovan McNabb

McNabb said Limbaugh's comments about his race were out of line and added that someone on the show should have spoken up. Among the other panelists are former players and African-Americans Michael Irvin and Tom Jackson.

"I'm not pointing at anyone but someone should have said it," McNabb said. "I wouldn't have cared if it was the cameraman."

McNabb said he was troubled by the remarks, saying that they send the wrong message to the youth of the world, especially those in the African-American community.

"It's pretty heavy, something obviously that I've been going through since I was young -- through high school, through college and now the NFL. You figured it would have been over by now.

"But obviosuly if the guy said it on TV, then I'm sure everyone else has thought about it or it's on their minds. I'm sure he's not the only one that feels that way, but it's somewhat shocking to actually hear that on national TV.

"It's nothing that I can sit here and say it's going to affect me. It's not something that I can sit here and say it won't bother me. But I look at the big picture and I say, what about the other guys who are playing in the league who are African-American quarterbacks or the kids that are in college who have dreams of playing on this level, or kids in high school who are using all of the African-American quarterbacks as role models.

"Now, when you say that, do they feel 'well, if I go out here and I say that I'm a Donovan McNabb or a Daunte Culpepper or a Michael Vick, I will be looked down upon because of the color of my skin.'

"And that's sad because you have kids that are African-American, you have kids that are Caucasion, Asian kids, you have kids all across the world who wear our jerseys, kids who watch the things that we do and say 'he's the best player in the league, I want to be just like him.'

"But when you sit there and pinpoint a guy because of the color of his skin, and not really pretty much on his performance or the things he's been able to do while he's been in the league, that kind of makes you look like you're the bad guy."

Limbaugh is scheduled to be in Philadelphia on Thursday morning to deliver the keynote address at a the three-day National Association of Broadcasters Radio Show convention.

McNabb, however, is not interested in a visit from the syndicated radio talk show, or a personal apology.

"I look at this situation and I say, I don't need a personal apology," McNabb said. "What is that going do? You've already said it. You've thought about it. So you had time to think about it before you said it. So when you say it, what's 'I'm sorry' going to do.

"It doesn't bother me. What he said is over. It's really not over, but there's nothing you can do to change it."

McNabb's one query is how and why the topic surfaced. But that is a topic for another day. The focus now is on the Washington Redskins and the season ahead. Nothing else.