Donovan McNabb agrees to five-year extension with Redskins

Donovan McNabb may be having his worst season since his rookie year and he may have been benched in favor of Rex Grossman, of all people, but it now appears McNabb will be the Washington Redskins' quarterback for a long time.

McNabb has agreed to a five-year, $78-million contract extension with the Redskins, with $40 million guaranteed, according to his agent, Fletcher Smith.

ESPN was the first to report the deal Monday morning.

McNabb was benched late in the Redskins' Oct. 31 loss to the Detroit Lions, with Coach Mike Shanahan offering a variety of reasons for the move. Smith said the benching had nothing to do with the negotiations and that McNabb is “happy to be a Redskin.”

The 33-year-old McNabb has a passer rating of 76.0, his lowest since 1999.

-- Chuck Schilken

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Photo: Donovan McNabb. Credit: Geoff Burke / US Presswire