Tuesday 25 June 2019 18:22, UK
Veteran quarterback Josh McCown has announced his retirement from the NFL and will join ESPN as an analyst.
McCown, whose 17-year career (including one year in the United Football League) spanned 10 teams, announced his retirement on Monday.
His longest tenure with any franchise was four seasons, with the Arizona Cardinals, who drafted McCown in the third round of the 2002 draft. He also started 22 games for the Cards, the most he had with any team.
In an article on The Players' Tribune, McCown said: "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."
McCown played in 99 games (76 starts) across 16 seasons, completing 1,581 of 2,628 passes for 17,707 yards, with 98 touchdowns and 82 interceptions.
The veteran, who turns 40 in July, spent the past two seasons with the New York Jets, serving as the starter in 2017. He appeared in four games (three starts) last season, serving as a backup to rookie Sam Darnold.
McCown also played for the Detroit Lions, Oakland Raiders, Miami Dolphins, Carolina Panthers, San Francisco 49ers, Chicago Bears, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Cleveland Browns.
"At the end of the day, no matter what team I was on, I tried to serve it to the best of my ability, and I tried to influence my team in a positive manner. I hope I did that," McCown wrote.
"And I made sure that when my number was called, I was prepared, and I gave it everything I had, every time. I may not have turned out to be the franchise quarterback I set out to be back at Cardinals rookie camp, but I'm extremely proud of the career I had."
