The grumblings reached a crescendo when he was benched in Week 12.
They resounded this week in Tampa but came with a twist as Donovan McNabb made the rounds at the Super Bowl XLIII media center.
"I want to retire as an Eagle," McNabb said.
McNabb, benched at halftime Thanksgiving week as the Philadelphia Eagles were routed by the Baltimore Ravens, had said he would seek a place at the table -- when the season was over -- with coach Andy Reid and team president Joe Banner to discuss his future with the team.
But the Eagles picked themselves up and advanced to the NFC Championship Game.
And McNabb was widely praised for saving another questionable season in which Philadelphia finished 9-6-1 and was forced to wait for final game of the season for a playoff berth.
Speaking to reporters Friday, a joyful McNabb reiterated he wanted to broach the subject of his contract with the Eagles during this offseason. But he also said he wished to remain in Philly for the rest of his career.
McNabb, set to make $9.2 million next season and $10 million in the final year of his contract, also wants to get "things solved."
"The contract deals with a lot of different things, and I'll kind of leave it at that," McNabb said. "I want things to get taken care of, and then I won't have to answer whether I'll be back the next year.
"I've had to answer 20 weeks this year about coming back and last year as well. It's tiresome, but I'd rather have people asking me every year than be somewhere else. I want to be in Philly."
McNabb had one of his best seasons in 2008, throwing for a career-high 3,916 yards with 23 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.
In the NFC title game, McNabb led the Eagles in overcoming a second-half rally from 18 points down to take a 25-24 lead.
But after an Arizona Cardinals touchdown, he missed on four passes from midfield, and the game ended.
McNabb said Friday the Eagles needed to restock their roster with upgrades in mind.
"Are we going to talk about that now?" McNabb replied, after a reporter brought it up. "Yeah, we do need more weapons, on both sides, all phases of the game."