Jets QB Josh McCown announces retirement after 17 NFL seasons

After a lengthy 17-year career playing in the NFL, quarterback Josh McCown, who spent the last two seasons with the New York Jets, announced his retirement earlier today.

Prior to the start of the 2018 NFL season, 39-year-old quarterback Josh McCown signed a one-year contract extension with the New York Jets after having a career year of sorts for the green and white in 2017. After the Jets drafted Sam Darnold with the third overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, however, it became clear that McCown’s days as a starting quarterback – at least with the Jets – were numbered.

In the end, Darnold ultimately won the starting job, but McCown, one of the most respected players in the game, seemed to play a pivotal role in the 22-year-old’s development during his rookie season. Because of that, there was talk following the season that the Jets could once again bring McCown back as a backup or perhaps as even an assistant coach of sorts to aid Darnold.

Today, however, McCown announced his retirement from playing professional football in a piece he wrote for The Players’ Tribune.

“So if you would have told me back then that I would go on to play for 10 different NFL teams over the next 17 years, I would have said, “Shoot, 17 years? I’ll take it,” McCown wrote.

“But 10 different teams? No way….”

I guess it just goes to show that you don’t always get to choose your own path. But looking back, I’m proud of how my career has gone. I don’t shy away from the journeyman label. I embrace it, full force.

Because it’s been one heck of a journey.

And now, strange as it feels to say, after 17 years … that journey is coming to an end.

Today I’m officially retiring.”

After being drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the 2002 NFL Draft, McCown did indeed play for 10 different NFL teams. Those teams include the following: Arizona Cardinals, Detroit Lions, Oakland Raiders, Miami Dolphins, Carolina Panthers, San Francisco 49ers, Chicago Bears, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Cleveland Browns, and New York Jets.

In regard to his time with the Jets, McCown started 13 games in 2017, completing 267 of 397 passes for 2,926 yards, 18 touchdowns, and nine interceptions.

Moving forward, it appears as if McCown will remain involved in the game of football in the form of an analyst on ESPN, per ESPN’s Bill Hofheimer.

Congrats to @JoshMcCown12 on a terrific 17-year pro career.And some more news: Josh is joining ESPN as an NFL studio analyst. He debuts Wed. in Bristol on NFL Live. https://t.co/CBXB4hYhot pic.twitter.com/gIj7Hccnow

— bill hofheimer (@bhofheimer_espn) June 17, 2019

On his career as a whole, McCown totaled 17,707 yards, 98 touchdowns and 82 interceptions.