Jets interview Josh McCown as head coach search takes unconventional twist
The Jets completed interviews No.13, 14 and 15 for their head coach opening on Friday.
Two of the interviews were with coordinators — Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores and Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley. The third was with a candidate who would be a more unconventional choice — Josh McCown.Jets fans will remember McCown’s two years with the team as a quarterback, first as a starter and then as a mentor to rookie Sam Darnold.
McCown is now the Vikings quarterbacks coach, where he was reunited with Darnold this season as Minnesota went 14-3 and made the playoffs. McCown, who has only been an NFL assistant for two years, is the only coaching candidate the Jets have that has not been a head coach or a coordinator.The 45-year-old would be making an unusual leap from position coach to the top job without a stop as a coordinator.
But those who know McCown well say his leadership ability will overshadow any lack of experience he has calling plays. Wide receiver Brandon Marshall played with McCown in 2012 and 2013 with the Bears.Marshall saw McCown replace an injured Jay Cutler in 2013 and throw 13 touchdowns and one interception, keeping the Bears season alive. “I knew back then that Josh was a man I would follow anywhere.
Josh is a leader.He’s a galvanizer,” Marshall said Friday.
“He happened to know how to throw the football.He happened to have a high football IQ.
The thing that made Josh special is everyone in the [bleeping] building loves him.Everybody.” The jump from position coach to head coach is unusual but not unprecedented.
A great example of it working is Andy Reid, who went from Packers quarterbacks coach to Eagles head coach in 1999.Reid has won 273 regular season games, the fourth most in NFL history, and has won three Super Bowls with the Chiefs. Reid’s achievements may be a tough bar for McCown to clear but there are other examples of coaches being hired who have not called plays before like McCown’s boss...