Texans interview former Jets QB Josh McCown for head-coaching vacancy

Former Jets quarterback Josh has interviewed for the Texans head coaching vacancy.

Former Jets quarterback Josh McCown has expressed an interest in coaching at the NFL level in the past. Could this be the offseason he gets his first shot?

The Houston Texans interviewed McCown for their head-coaching vacancy on Friday, the team announced. However, the Texans aren’t expected to rush their decision as they continue to seek out more candidates.

If the Texans were to hire McCown, they’d pair him with at least one former NFL head coach due to his inexperience, according to the NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo.

McCown is under contract with the Texans as a player for the 2021 season with a $1.075 million base salary. He has been with Houston since November when it signed the 41-year-old off Philadelphia’s practice squad.

McCown has spent 18 seasons in the NFL with 10 different teams. He started out his career in 2002 with the Arizona Cardinals for four seasons. McCown then bounced around between the Lions, Raiders and Panthers from 2006-2009. After a year in the UFL in 2010, McCown returned to the NFL in 2011 with the Bears.

He was with Chicago for three years before joining the Buccaneers for one season in 2015. The Browns picked up McCown in 2015 and kept him for two years. The Jets signed McCown in 2017 and he spent two seasons in New York. He started 16 games for the Jets and compiled a 5-11 record. He also served as a mentor to Sam Darnold during the latter’s rookie season.

Following a brief retirement stint in 2019, the Eagles signed McCown. He played in his first career playoff game against the Seahawks when Carson Wentz got hurt. He completed 18 of 24 passes for 174 yards to go along with 23 rushing yards and two fumbles in a losing effort.

Per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, McCown’s plan had been to watch his kids play high school football, but that could change if he gets offered the Texans job.

Could ex-Jets QB Josh McCown be the Eagles’ next OC?

Josh McCown had talks with the Eagles about having a coaching role, possibly as an offensive coordinator.

An NFL lifer, it only makes sense that Josh McCown’s next job will come as a coach.

That must have been what the Eagles were thinking, as they had conversations with the 40-year-old quarterback about joining Doug Pederson’s staff — possibly even as his offensive coordinator — according to The Philadelphia Inquirer. The talks came during Philadelphia’s exit interviews at the end of the season, but it isn’t known if the Eagles made an official offer. McCown, who also spoke with Eagles owner Jeffery Lurie, did say that he’s not ready to officially retire.

McCown has always had an interest in coaching, though. Before McCown joined the Eagles, he signed on to be the quarterbacks coach at Myers Park High School and even continued in the position while serving as Carson Wentz’s backup in 2019.

McCown looked to be done with football after his final year with the Jets in 2018. He announced his retirement and joined ESPN as an analyst, but after the Eagles’ backup quarterbacks suffered injuries, McCown got the call and signed a one-year deal.

The veteran has played for nine different teams since he entered the league in 2002. He has primarily served as a backup but has started for teams here and there, including the Jets. McCown was with the Jets in 2017 and started13 games before getting injured. Then, in 2018, he was Sam Darnold’s mentor.

It doesn’t sound like McCown wants to give up playing football just yet. If he does play another season, he’ll likely serve as a backup somewhere again, possibly even in Philly. But coaching will be in McCown’s future one day.