JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Ed Rendell, then mayor of Philadelphia, issued a warning to the Philadelphia Eagles in the spring of 1999. He told them Veterans Stadium was in danger if they did not listen to his wishes.

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"Your beloved governor now was leading the pack," Tom Modrak recalled the other day. "He said, 'If you don't draft Ricky Williams, we'll all meet at city hall and burn the Vet down.' "

A reporter relayed the mayor's comment to Modrak, then the Eagles' general manager, during a visit to the team's offices in the dilapidated stadium.

"I said, let me get everyone out of here and you're welcome to it," Modrak responded.

The Eagles proceeded to draft quarterback Donovan McNabb of Syracuse with the second overall pick. Philadelphia fans booed, and the Vet came down -- five years later.

Today, Ricky Williams is out of football after helping to cost two coaches their jobs on two NFL teams, and McNabb will lead the Philadelphia Eagles into the Super Bowl Sunday against the New England Patriots. Gov. Rendell, a longtime Eagles season ticket-holder, will be here to root for his favorite team -- and quarterback.

McNabb made his peace with Rendell and those Eagles fans who wanted Williams, the Heisman Trophy winner, six years ago. But Modrak, now assistant general manager of the Buffalo Bills, and Philadelphia coach Andy Reid never wavered on their decision.

"I liked McNabb for a long time. He's mobile and had good arm strength. He was their leader [in Syracuse], their man, made throws down field. He was a great fit. He wouldn't wilt under pressure -- and there was a lot of pressure."

Three consecutive losses in the NFC championship game and a below-the-belt hit by commentator Rush Limbaugh added to the pressure. There is more on the way as McNabb tries to lead his Eagles to their first Super Bowl victory and Philadelphia's first championship in a major sport in 22 years.

All McNabb has done is win, and, if he wins Sunday, he will go down in Philadelphia history with Mike Schmidt, Wilt Chamberlain, Julius Irving and the Broad Street Bullies.

"You dream of playing in the Super Bowl," McNabb said "and you dream of winning the Super Bowl and being MVP and getting hit by the confetti and holding up the trophy. And all of that can happen."

McNabb will make his fifth Pro Bowl appearance after the best of his six NFL seasons. A dangerous threat to run, he stayed more in the pocket this year and became a more efficient passer. McNabb ran 41 times for 220 yards, the lowest totals of his career. He ran 71 times in 2003.

His passer rating, though, soared to 104.7 last season, 25 points higher than 2003. He threw for nearly 4,000 yards, completed 64 percent of his passes, threw 31 touchdowns and only eight interceptions. McNabb became more than a complete quarterback this season, he became one of the game's best.

"He will pick you apart if you let him sit in the pocket," Patriots linebacker Willie McGinest said. "And he will pick you apart with his feet. He can get out of the pocket and run and throw at the same time."

It's not become a big issue here, but McNabb is the third black quarterback to play in the Super Bowl. Doug Williams came away a winner, and the game's MVP, with the Washington Redskins in Super Bowl XXII. Steve McNair and the Tennessee Titans barely lost to St. Louis in Super Bowl XXXIV.

McNabb was an 11-year-old grade school student in Chicago when Williams set a then-Super Bowl record with 340 yards passing and tying the record with four touchdowns as the Redskins beat the Broncos, 42-10, Jan. 31, 1988.

"That was kind of an open door for African-American kids to have dreams and aspirations of playing in the NFL, not only in the NFL, but in the Super Bowl," McNabb said.

"I think what he has shown is ... it can happen to you."

But can it happen with Terrell Owens at less than full capacity? That's the biggest question of the week. Can McNabb be as effective with a reduced version of Owens, who pledged to play Sunday after his ankle was broken in the 14th game of the season?

Owens' presence in the Eagles' lineup -- with his 14 touchdowns and 1,200 yards -- no doubt helped McNabb and the offense. But without him in the playoffs, Philadelphia steamrollered Minnesota and Atlanta, and McNabb threw four touchdowns, no interceptions and topped a 111 passer rating each game.

"He didn't make me into a better quarterback," McNabb said. "If that's the case, I made him into a better receiver."

Regardless, the pressure will be on McNabb's shoulders when he leads the Eagles onto the field Sunday at Alltel Stadium. Ed Rendell and Tom Modrak will be there, pulling in the same direction this time.