Donovan McNabb’s season is over. So is the Philadelphia Eagles’ hope of returning to the Super Bowl.

The Eagles’ star quarterback will have surgery for a sports hernia and is expected to miss the final six games, another crushing blow for a team that had still hoped to make the playoffs without suspended receiver Terrell Owens.

“I’m disappointed that the injury has reached this stage and has ultimately ended my season” McNabb said in a statement. “I wanted so much to help this team turn it around and was unable to do that.”

All-Pro cornerback Lito Sheppard also appears out for the season with a severely sprained ankle that will require surgery. The struggling Eagles suspended Owens for four games on November 7, and told him not to return to the team.

Yesterday’s announcements came one day after the reigning NFC champions fell to 4-6 with their fourth straight loss. Even if Philadelphia wins out, a 10-6 record shouldn’t be enough for the Eagles to capture a fifth straight NFC East title. The Giants and Dallas Cowboys are 7-3 with superior records in the division and conference.

“We understand the season is not over,” Eagles coach Andy Reid said. “There is a lot of season to play and we will attack that aggressively.”

McNabb had played through several injuries and hoped to delay surgery for the sports hernia until after the season. Last Thursday, Dr. William Meyers recommended that McNabb have surgery now, echoing the advice of another doctor over the weekend.

Reid said McNabb will have the operation after Thanksgiving, and recovery time is eight to 10 weeks.

McNabb didn’t play in Sunday’s 27-17 loss to the Giants after he re-injured his groin while trying to tackle Cowboys safety Roy Williams following an interception last Monday night. Williams returned it 46 yards for a touchdown with 2:43 left to lead Dallas to a 21-20 comeback victory.

“Once the groin becomes an issue, then the recovery is not going to take place and rest is not going to help it,” Reid said. “It is just too much discomfort to where Donovan can’t run and function.”

Sheppard was injured in the third quarter against the Giants when he got tangled up with wide receiver Plaxico Burress on an incomplete pass. He was taken off the field in a cart and the Eagles originally announced the ankle was broken. Sheppard, who went to the Pro Bowl last year, had three interceptions and one sack this season.