Josh

McCown

The Jets’ exhaustive coaching search continues, as McCown is set to be one of three candidates who will meet with the team on Friday. This isn’t the first time McCown’s name has been uttered in head coaching searches, although he may still be another year or two away from getting the call. McCown has never called plays as an NFL coach and has spent only two years as a coach in the league since retiring after the 2020 season. His impressive stint with the Vikings and Sam Darnold this season certainly warrants a deeper look at what he could offer a team that’s likely to have a new quarterback under center in 2025. Even if he doesn’t get a head coaching gig, McCown could be on several teams’ radars as an offensive coordinator.

“A source in Minnesota actually said that’s been talked about within their building,” Hughes added. McCown probably is worthy of an offensive coordinator shot after a successful stint as Vikings quarterback coach, and Flores is certainly deserving of another head coaching role after the job he did with the Vikings defense this year. We have no idea who invited Ryan Grigson to the discussion — does Trent Richardson work for the Jets? — but at least in theory it’s interesting to talk about the idea of porting a large chunk of the Vikings braintrust over to New York.

McCown spent two years with the Jets as a player (2017-2018) and has worked as a quarterbacks coach for the Panthers and Vikings over the last two years. His tenure with the Panthers was a forgettable one, but McCown is understandably receiving a fair share of the credit for Sam Darnold’s revival in his first season with the Vikings. McCown has been on the head coaching radar before. He interviewed with the Texans back in 2022 before the team ultimately decided to hire Lovie Smith and also had a “conversation” with the Jaguars about their head coaching vacancy that same offseason. McCown has never called plays at the NFL level, and may still be a few years away from landing a head coaching gig. That said, the Jets are clearly doing their due diligence in their coaching search, as McCown becomes one of several coaches to already receive requests for interviews.

Graff starts his article by speculating that keeping Mayo may inherently come with some scapegoating on his staff. While he doesn’t directly say the Patriots are interested in replacing Alex Van Pelt with McCown, he mentions that McCown helped coach and mentor Drake Maye in high school, and that many OC candidates may be scared off by taking a job under a head coach who is “seemingly ... on shaky ground.” McCown has not advanced beyond quarterback coach since his shocking interview with the Texans for their head coaching vacancy in 2022. This could be an opportunity for him, should Mayo survive Black Monday.

A first-time NFL coach on Frank Reich’s Panthers staff last season, McCown was part of owner David Tepper’s mid-season scapegoating for his awful roster. The 44-year-old was let go Nov. 27. He has landed in a far better offense and coaching tree, saddling up alongside Sean McVay disciple Kevin O’Connell, who has quickly proven to be an excellent coach in his own right. Especially if impending free agent Kirk Cousins re-signs, it will be a spot where McCown can continue climbing the NFL coaching ladder.

McCown’s dismissal appeared imminent after the Panthers cut ties with head coach Frank Reich earlier in the day. Tasked with developing quarterback Bryce Young, McCown’s early efforts with the No. 1 overall pick have fallen short, as the Panthers are 1-10 and Young looks like the worst of the three quarterbacks taken in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft. McCown was once interviewed for the Texans’ head coaching vacancy back in 2022, but ultimately didn’t secure the job. His job with the Panthers marked McCown’s first NFL coaching job. He’ll likely get additional opportunities down the line if he hopes to continue his coaching career, but his days in Carolina are now done. In addition to McCown, the Panthers also fired assistant head coach/running backs coach Duce Staley.

McCown had recently been in the running for the then-vacant Texans head coaching position before the franchise hired DeMeco Ryans. The former quarterback lands his first stint as a coach in the NFL as he’s set to serve as the quarterbacks coach under new hire Frank Reich in Carolina.

This came off the heels of Schefter reporting that Houston defensive coordinator Lovie Smith is now in the running for their head-coaching vacancy. McCown’s spot among the finalists for the Houston gig was always strange as he has no coaching experience beyond some work at his sons’ high school. It wouldn’t be surprising to see him brought in as a positions coach in the near future but his lack of experience was too much for even the hapless Houston brass to look past.

Josina Anderson additionally reported that the Texans have spent the last 48 hours “vetting the staffing plans” for their finalists. Flores would probably be the most inspiring hire of the bunch, but it would be surprising if a man suing the NFL became Houston’s head coach. Josh McCown appears to be the favorite.

Houston officially reported the completion of their second interviews with Eagles DC Jonathan Gannon and former Dolphins HC Brian Flores as well. McCown got an interview for Houston’s head-coaching vacancy last year but was ultimately passed over for David Culley. After spending another year as an assistant coach at his sons’ high school, the Texans may now see him as fit to lead an NFL team. Though Flores has strong connections to Houston management, McCown remains firmly in the mix, as bizarre as it sounds.