Longtime veteran quarterback Josh McCown is officially calling it a career.
After joining 10 NFL teams over 17 years (including one season in the United Football League), McCown penned a retirement letter for The Players' Tribune, putting a close to his winding career.
"I guess it just goes to show that you don't always get to choose your own path," McCown wrote. "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."
McCown was selected by the Arizona Cardinals in the third round of the 2002 NFL Draft. After four seasons in the desert, McCown's journey began. He joined the Detroit Lions, Oakland Raiders, Miami Dolphins (offseason), Carolina Panthers, Hartford Colonials (UFL), San Francisco 49ers (offseason), Chicago Bears, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Cleveland Browns, and, finally, the New York Jets for the past two years.
McCown started 76 games over the course of his career, completed 60.2 percent of his passes and threw 98 touchdowns to 82 interceptions.
Known as a gritty player who showed flashes but never stayed healthy enough to be a long-term answer at any of his stops, McCown will be remembered as the quintessential QB tutor. His last year spent with the Jets as Sam Darnold's mentor epitomized the best of McCown's career.
In his retirement letter, McCown suggesed coaching or a broadcast career could be in his future. Soon after his retirement Monday, ESPN announced that McCown will be joining the network as an NFL analyst.
Long seen as a player/coach for QBs, it wouldn't be a shock to see McCown return to the sideline as a coach at some point.
