He expressed his disappointment, then promised to play the only way he knows how to play.
Brian Dawkins plays football because he loves the sport and because he is incredibly good at it, but he also plays to take care of his family. It is why he spoke of his frustration Friday when Donovan McNabb signed a 12-year, $115 million contract. Dawkins, arguably the best free safety in the NFL, has been hoping for a new contract of his own. He is signed through 2003.
But Dawkins could do nothing about contracts and money yesterday at Veterans Stadium.
He could, however, make history. Dawkins did when he became the first NFL player to intercept a pass, sack the quarterback, and catch a touchdown pass - on a fake punt, no less - in the same game. (Sacks became an official stat in 1982.)
Dawkins also recovered a fumble. Had that effort happened against an NFC East opponent late in the season or in the playoffs, it might be considered one of the most memorable moments in Philadelphia sports history.
Instead, it happened against the expansion Houston Texans.
Still, it was an awesome display.
"I never had a game like that," Dawkins said. "Never even thought of having a game like that. You think of having two picks, or causing two fumbles or something like that. You don't think about scoring a touchdown on a punt."
Dawkins' day went like this: He recovered David Carr's fumble, which Darwin Walker forced, with 2 minutes, 44 seconds to play in the first quarter. It led to a Duce Staley 1-yard touchdown run.
He intercepted Carr's pass to Avion Black with 3:52 to play in the second quarter and returned it 27 yards. It set up a David Akers' 41-yard field goal to give the Eagles a 20-7 lead.
The most memorable play came early in the third quarter. On fourth-and-7 on their own 43, the Eagles lined up to punt. But as they have often done this season, they saw a weakness and pulled out a trick. Brian Mitchell took the snap and ran to the left side, where Dawkins got himself open. Mitchell made a shovel pass to Dawkins, who caught the ball and sprinted 57 yards for the touchdown and a 26-7 Eagles lead.
"I never thought in practice when we were practicing it that I'd be able to break it and get all the way," Dawkins said. "I got the ball and I only had one guy to beat and two guys from behind. I kind of figured I could get there."
His day ended with a sack with under a minute to play.
