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| Josh McCown | |
|---|---|
| Name | Josh McCown |
| Birth date | 4 July 1979 |
| Birth place | Birmingham, Alabama |
| Height | 1.93 m |
| Weight | 104 kg |
| College | Sam Houston State / Baylor |
| Position | Quarterback |
| Number | 12, 13, 15 |
| Drafted | 2002 NFL Draft (undrafted) |
Josh McCown is an American former professional American football quarterback and coach. Over a playing career spanning the National Football League and alternative leagues, he played for numerous franchises and later transitioned to coaching in both collegiate and professional ranks. McCown's career intersected with many notable players, coaches, teams, and events across NCAA Division I FCS, the NFL, and USFL eras.
Born in Birmingham, Alabama, McCown was raised in a family with ties to Texas where he attended Lake Highlands High School in Dallas, Texas. At Lake Highlands he excelled in multiple sports and drew attention from recruiters connected to programs such as Baylor University, Texas Christian University, Texas, Oklahoma State, and Texas A&M University. His high school teammates and opponents included future professionals who later played for organizations like the Dallas Cowboys, Houston Texans, and New Orleans Saints. McCown's prep career featured performances that placed him on watchlists alongside athletes who later joined the NFL Scouting Combine and the Big 12 Conference.
McCown began his collegiate career at Baylor University before transferring to Sam Houston State University where he competed in NCAA Division I FCS competition. At Sam Houston State he played under coaching staffs linked to the Southland Conference, earning recognition that mirrored peers who advanced to the NFL Draft and professional rosters such as Carson Palmer, Rex Grossman, and Clint Stoerner. His college tenure involved matchups against programs from the Sun Belt Conference and games held at venues comparable to Neyland Stadium and Kyle Field. McCown left college with passing statistics that attracted the attention of NFL teams considering undrafted free agent signings, much like contemporaries who joined franchises including the Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, and Arizona Cardinals.
McCown's professional playing career spanned stints with numerous NFL teams and alternative league affiliations. He signed as an undrafted free agent and later joined rosters for franchises such as the Arizona Cardinals, Detroit Lions, Chicago Bears, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Cleveland Browns, Carolina Panthers, New York Jets, Philadelphia Eagles, and Houston Texans. Over seasons he competed against quarterbacks including Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees, Ben Roethlisberger, Russell Wilson, Philip Rivers, and Eli Manning. McCown started games in regular-season matchups featured on Sunday Night Football, Monday Night Football, and Thursday Night Football broadcasts produced by networks like NBC Sports, ESPN, and Fox Sports. His tenure included appearances in games at stadiums such as Soldier Field, MetLife Stadium, Gillette Stadium, Lambeau Field, and AT&T Stadium. McCown's teammates and coaches included figures like Mike Tomlin, Andy Reid, Sean Payton, Matt Nagy, Jeff Fisher, Hue Jackson, and contemporaries such as Michael Vick, Mark Sanchez, Geno Smith, Ryan Fitzpatrick, and Blaine Gabbert. He also played in preseason contests and training camps that involved veterans from the Pro Football Hall of Fame era and rookies from the NFL Draft classes of the 2000s and 2010s.
After concluding his playing career, McCown transitioned into coaching, taking roles that connected him with staffs and programs across professional and collegiate football. He served on coaching staffs that interfaced with coaches from organizations including the New York Jets, Arizona Cardinals, and Texas A&M University programs, collaborating with coordinators who had worked under leaders like Bill Belichick, Andy Reid, Nick Saban, and Urban Meyer. His coaching responsibilities encompassed quarterback development, game planning, and mentoring prospects aiming for the NFL Combine and NFL Draft. McCown's coaching network included relationships with quarterbacks such as Sam Darnold, Baker Mayfield, Trevor Lawrence, Deshaun Watson, and analysts from entities like Pro Football Focus.
McCown's family includes relatives who have participated in athletics and professions tied to communities in Texas and Alabama. Off the field he has appeared in charity events, community outreach programs, and media interviews alongside personalities from outlets such as ESPN, NFL Network, and The Athletic. His personal connections extend to former teammates who have entered broadcasting for CBS Sports, FOX Sports, NBC Sports, and to coaches who became executives for teams like the New England Patriots and Kansas City Chiefs. McCown has been involved in philanthropy and youth coaching initiatives resembling projects run by foundations like the NFLPA and team-run community programs.
McCown's NFL statistics encompass passing yards, touchdowns, interceptions, completion percentage, and passer rating accumulated across appearances with multiple franchises. His career totals were compiled during seasons that featured statistical leaders such as Drew Brees (passing yards), Aaron Rodgers (passer rating), Tom Brady (touchdowns), Adrian Peterson (rushing yards), and Julio Jones (receiving yards). McCown's game logs recorded starts against defenses coordinated by coaches from the Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers, New York Giants, Buffalo Bills, and San Francisco 49ers, contributing to box scores archived alongside performances by players like LeSean McCoy, Antonio Brown, DeAndre Hopkins, and Larry Fitzgerald.
Category:American football quarterbacks Category:1979 births Category:Living people