Sept. 18 (Bloomberg) -- Donovan McNabb of the Philadelphia Eagles said in an HBO interview that black quarterbacks in the National Football League face more criticism and pressure than their white counterparts.

``There are not that many African-American quarterbacks, so we have to do a little bit extra,'' McNabb said in an interview with James Brown that's scheduled to air tonight on HBO's ``Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel.''

McNabb, 30, was one of five black players to start at quarterback for the NFL's 32 teams last week, along with Washington's Jason Campbell, Minnesota's Tarvaris Jackson, Jacksonville's David Garrard and Tennessee's Vince Young.

McNabb has been selected to the Pro Bowl five times in nine years with the Eagles, whom he led to the Super Bowl after the 2004 season. He's had season-ending injuries in three of the past five years, including a torn ligament in his right knee that forced him to miss the final six games last season.

McNabb, who has passed for 424 yards with one touchdown and one interception in the Eagles' 0-2 start this season, said black quarterbacks are judged more harshly by media and fans than white players like Peyton Manning of the Indianapolis Colts and Carson Palmer of the Cincinnati Bengals.

``Let me start by saying, I love those guys. But they don't get criticized as much as we do. They don't,'' McNabb said, according to a transcript of the interview.

Limbaugh Comments

In 2003, radio talk-show host Rush Limbaugh was pressured to resign as a commentator for ESPN's NFL pregame show after he said race was the reason McNabb was getting too much credit for his team's success. ``I think what we have here is a little social concern in the NFL,'' Limbaugh said at the time. ``I think the media has been very desirous that a black quarterback do well.''

McNabb the next season led the Eagles to their second appearance in the Super Bowl, where they lost to the New England Patriots. McNabb said he has grown accustomed to criticism playing for the Eagles, whose fans booed when he was taken with the second pick in the 1999 draft.

``I try to handle myself with class. I try to handle myself with dignity,'' McNabb said. ``And I think sometimes, people look to players to kind of act out, speak loudly, pretty much be an idiot. And that's not me.''

To contact the reporter on this story: Erik Matuszewski in New York at matuszewski@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: September 18, 2007 18:11 EDT