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Redskins' McCardell Excited About Returning To Face Bucs

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By IRA KAUFMAN, The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 23, 2007

Updated: 11/22/2007 11:57 pm

TAMPA - Keenan McCardell is hopping on a plane this weekend to follow the money.

In his second stint with the Redskins, the ex-Bucs receiver returns Sunday to make his first regular-season appearance at Raymond James Stadium since leaving Tampa Bay in a protracted and costly 2004 contract dispute.

McCardell, who turns 38 in January, was out of football for a month before Washington signed him Oct. 1. With nine catches in the past two weeks, he stands eighth on the NFL's all-time list with 874 career receptions.

"It's going to be fun to go back to RayJay," McCardell said from Washington, where the 5-5 Redskins remain in the NFC wild-card hunt despite back-to-back losses. "I'm actually looking forward to playing there. There's just something about that stadium I like."

McCardell caught two scoring passes in Tampa Bay's Super Bowl rout of the Raiders and emerged as Brad Johnson's favorite target in 2003 with 84 catches for 1,174 yards and eight touchdowns.

But with two years remaining on his Bucs deal, McCardell didn't report to training camp in 2004, leaving Coach Jon Gruden in a sensitive spot.

"He had a lot to do with our championship," Gruden said of McCardell, who entered the league with Washington in 1991 as a 12th-round pick out of UNLV. "Keenan was a team captain here and a clutch receiver. He's still showcasing his savvy and his abilities and he's a great guy, too, off the field."

The mutual respect between Gruden and McCardell appears genuine.

"He's a heck of a coach, to be honest with you," McCardell said. "Jon's probably the best offensive coach I've been around. If you're a player that doesn't have a high football IQ, he's going to blow your mind."

When McCardell tried to hold out for more money, it was left to Tampa Bay's new general manager to uphold the party line.

"I knew Bruce Allen, my agent knew Bruce, and he told me, 'He's not going to back down,'" McCardell said. "I was like, 'You know me, too - I'm not going to back down.'"

The impasse continued for 82 days before the Chargers traded two draft choices to Tampa Bay for McCardell, who signed a two-year deal that included a $4.1 million signing bonus. But the dispute wasn't over because the Bucs filed a grievance, seeking a portion of McCardell's signing and roster bonus with Tampa Bay.

"There was some bitterness, right up until I had to write a check," said McCardell, who was ordered to return $1.5 million to the Bucs. "Once I wrote the check back to them, it was over."

McCardell has been around so long, he served as a role model for Tampa Bay's Joey Galloway, the young pup who turned 36 on Tuesday.

"He's a lot older than me - and I'll remind Keenan of that when I see him," said Galloway, who was still four years away from the NFL when McCardell broke in as a pro. "I've always admired his game from afar. When I first had a chance to come here in 2004, he was one of the guys I was excited to play with. Unfortunately, that didn't work out. Things happen in this league - it's a business - and we didn't get a chance to play together, but I've always been a fan of his."

Even a $1.5 million refund can't diminish the memories and friendships McCardell forged during his two years in Tampa, capped by a title.

"It's going to be fun seeing Keenan again," Bucs linebacker Derrick Brooks said. "He's probably one of the more competitive football players I've been around. When Washington needs a play, he comes through."

Before Sunday's kickoff, McCardell will be thinking about the job at hand, even while he's shaking hands.

"I'm playing well right now and I'm feeling good," McCardell said. "I feel like I can still make plays. I had great teammates in Tampa. We knew we had a good team and we weren't going to do anything to mess it up."

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