The Washington Redskins have confirmed Donovan McNabb's contract extension in a press release. The team declined to disclose the terms of the contract, as per their policy. However, Redskins general manager Bruce Allen did confirm that the team has been discussing a new contract with McNabb for quite some time.
In an interview with ESPN 980, Allen said the team had targeted the bye week as an ideal time to get a new deal done with McNabb since the beginning of the season.
"As we've said for months now, we had ongoing talks and once the regular season started, we really were aiming toward the bye week and it came together."
Allen said that he didn't expect McNabb's contract to be a distraction tonight for that very reason.
"Donovan is happy but really our focus is on the Eagles. This is not any form of distraction because it has really been something that we've known we were going to do for some time."
Finally, when asked when McNabb would be a Redskin long-term, Allen responded by simply saying "that's why we signed him to a contract."
Allen did not speak to the media beyond this interview with ESPN 980.
(HT to Redskins.com for the transcript).