Mentorship position appeals to McCown

Signed to 2-year deal, veteran Texas native eager to share wisdom with younger QBs

Standing a few yards away from Deshaun Watson, Josh McCown delivered passes Friday morning during his first practice since joining the Texans.

For McCown, it was a full-circle, significant moment.

After growing up on a ranch in Jacksonville, Texas, and starring at Sam Houston State, McCown, 41, is grateful to be back in Texas and continuing a remarkably long NFL career that has spanned a dozen teams and nearly two decades.

A third-round pick by Arizona in the 2002 draft, McCown was a rookie during the Texans’ inaugural season when they drafted quarterback David Carr with the top overall pick

“Man, that’s surreal for me,” McCown said. “It was kind of a foregone conclusion that David was going to get drafted, but there was apart ofme that played down the road at Sam Houston, I was just like hoping maybe something worked out where I ended up here.

“So to be home and to get to be able to do this at home is special, so I’m very thankful. The desire to come here was strong. Things just work out funny. To be here 19, almost 20 years later is crazy.”

The oldest practice squad player in NFL history with Philadelphia before joining the Texans on a two-year, $2.125million contract lastweek, McCown was signed for the knowledge he can give to Watson.

The Texans see leadership potential in McCown, a highly respected journeyman passer who once was teammates and video game buddies with Hall of Fame running back Emmitt Smith at the end of his career in Arizona. It was McCown who gave the football to Smith on Jan. 2, 2005, for

the final handoff of his career.

McCown has left his own mark in the NFL that includes a significant amount of mentoring of younger quarterbacks and success when called upon for an onfield role. In relief of an injured Carson Wentz in a playoff loss to the Seattle Seahawks in January, McCown completed 18 of 24 passes for 174 yards, no interceptions and a 94.8 passer rating while rushing for 23 yards despite a hamstring pull severe enough that themusclewas ripped off the bone.

“I still have that desire to be a part of it,” McCown said. “I think that’swhyHoustonwas a fit. They offered me the opportunity to be near family but still be a part of an organization and come be a part of the guys. Emmitt Smith was a Hall of Famer when I got to play with him.

“I know I’m not looked at in that light with players, but I do knowand do appreciatewhatEmmitt gave to me as a young player. You just try to pay it forward with the young guys and just how much you can just impart as best you can for their journey tomake it better. That’s why I’m here.”

Now, McCown, who helped the Eagles virtually while coaching his sons’ high school football teamin North Carolina, is back on an active roster.

McCown doesn’t hide his future coaching ambitions. It’s considered just a matter of time before he trades in his cleats for a clipboard.

“I believe so,” McCown said. “If you’d askedmethat 10 years ago, I would’ve said no way, that’s not what I want to do at this level. My dreamcoming out of college, had I not been able to play in the NFL, was to coach high school football here in Texas. The longer I’ve been in this game and been around these guys, I see real value in being able to be a part of an organization and compete at the highest level.

“Whenever I finally take the cleats off, I definitely see that in the future. They understand, as did the Eagles and kind of everybody else for the past four or five years of my career, that I’m definitely interested in that.”

McCown was with the Jets as a backup to Sam Darnold in 2018 when Watson engineered a Texans’ rally.

“I just remember him making some big-time throws and playing at a high level, and interacting with him after the game, just how poised he was,” McCown said.

McCown has been studying

Watson since his days at Clemson when he won the national championship, defeating Alabama with a touchdown pass to Hunter Renfrow.

“I just remember watching that final drive, he back-shouldered Renfrow up the seam,” McCown said. “I remember putting the clicker down and going ‘This dude’s really good.’ I’ve been a fan for a while.

“It’s kind of scary, but he’s kind of scratching the surface of how good he really can be. That’s going to be fun and beneficial for the Texans. I’m just glad to be a part of it and just want to help however I can.”

Beyond how McCown will interact with Watson and backup quarterback A. J. McCarron, a pending free agent playing under a one-year, $4 million contract, the Texans believed strongly that his experience would benefit the entire organization.

McCown had extensive conversations with Texans interim general manager Jack Easterby that sold him on the opportunity the Texans were offering.

“It was hard to talk to Philly and say, ‘Hey, I’m going to go do this with the Texans.’ ” McCown said. “I knew my heart wanted to be in a building with the guys and just doing that from a distance, while it was good, it’s not the same.”

Outside linebacker Whitney Mercilus joked Friday that McCown is “prehistoric.”

“I’ll wear that well,” McCown said. “Prehistoric pretty much covers it all, so I’ll take it.”

“They offered me the opportunity to be near family but still be a part of an organization and come be a part of the guys.”

Texans quarterback Josh McCown