McCown is ready to help Sam Darnold

[MDL_JET]

"I'm going to go through camp with the same mindset," McCown told the Daily News Friday about how he'll try to push the Jets first-round pick this summer. "If I wasn't interested in competing and trying to still improve as a player and get the best out of myself as I could, I wouldn't have come back. It wouldn't have made any sense to come back. I'm there for the team to do that. That's the best thing I can do for Sam… to give everything I got to the Jets as a player and show him the things that I've done that I believe helped me be successful and the things I believe can help him to be ready to go."

"Coaches will make those decisions on when he's ready to play and when the time is right," McCown continued. "And I'll support him whole heartedly. To me, that's what it's about. It's about stabilizing this position for this organization. In the short term, if that means going out and playing games and winning games, then I'll do that. If Sam shows himself ready to go and they make that decision, then I'll support him 100 percent and be right beside him."

Unofficially, McCown is the most giving teammate in the history of professional football. Officially, McCown is an incredible resource for any young signal caller hoping to learn the intricacies of playing the most important position in team sports. His winding 16-year journey through the NFL has included eight stops. I dare you to find one former teammate or coach that doesn't speak about him in effusive tones.

He's a coach's and teammate's dream, a guy who understands the big picture in a cut-throat business. He admitted that his prime objective is to help the Jets reach the Promised Land, but taking an active in Darnold's development matters a great deal too.

"The best thing I can do is look back in five years and Sam Darnold is in the Pro Bowl," said McCown, who will turn 39 this summer. "That would be the most satisfying thing. We'll see. It'll be fun."

How much does McCown truly care about the Jets goal of finding a franchise quarterback? Well, he actually invested time studying the top prospects in the run-up to the draft to get a better handle on how he could assist the coaching staff after the pick was made. Darnold's skillset jumped off the tape.

"I watched a lot of tape to get a feel for who we might be getting, so I could be in a position to help Coach Bates and those guys as best I can in my role," McCown said. "Help them be the best players they can be. So, I've seen (Darnold's) tape. You put it on and you certainly see some impressive plays. His competitive fight and will and toughness are evident with the way he plays."

"You see different things outside of the pocket: Making plays and throwing on the run that impress you that certainly remind me of different players that I have either played with or have seen play," McCown added. "Without drawing unfair early comparisons, certainly those guys have star qualities. Everybody that gets picked that high has something that they do different than most guys. I was really impressed with his outside-the-pocket playmaking ability. That's one of the things that sets him apart from other guys."

Although McCown admitted that it's too early to know what Darnold will become as player (since they've yet to be on the practice field together), the veteran has no doubts that the rookie has the right make-up to succeed.

"As far as who he is as person, his character and everything I've heard about him, absolutely they got it right," McCown said. "Because I believe he carries himself the right way and he loves the game. That's important. You have to have that. You got to love this thing. At this position, it's got to be the most important thing to you. I have no doubt in my mind that that's the kind of kid he is."

The Jets' decision to select Darnold, who will turn 21 in June, prompted McCown's daughter to send her dad a text reminding him that the new quarterback is less than a year older than her. Once upon a time, Mark Brunell had strict guidelines that Mark Sanchez couldn't date his daughter. Will McCown impose the same rules?

"Hopefully we don't have to cross that bridge," McCown said with a laugh. "We'll just have to address that if it comes up. I know my daughter will have her nose firmly planted in a book or computer somewhere at the University of Tennessee studying like she's supposed to. Hopefully that won't come up.… I got to get to know him first. I think I'll probably lean on following Brunell's lead. Let's just leave it at a No… and make it easy."

 

I don't know about you guys but I think we're pretty lucky to have McCown on this team right now. Could be huge for us and this isn't just an old veteran like Brunell with Sanchez. McCown actually wants to help and if Darnold becomes something good that could really help him with his coaching career too, having that on his resume. 

[Better2bgreenthanblue]

For the first time in years I feel we are on the right path, full of hope and looking forward to finishing the rebuild.

 

[Smashmouth]

6 minutes ago, Better2bgreenthanblue said:

For the first time in years I feel we are on the right path, full of hope and looking forward to finishing the rebuild.

 

Its an exciting time !!

[Larz]

McCown is an awesome dude 

[Jet Nut]

He's made one hell of an impression in a really short period of time.  If he helps Darnolds development as much as I think he will he's going to go down as a great signing 

[RESNewYork]

McCown is an awesome person. Said it before, no issues with 10 million. That number did not prevent us from signing a free agent and it comes off the books in 2019. McCown/Darnold is a much better situation than Kirk Cousins.

McCown is obviously looking to coach and there has to be a reason we didn't bring in a QB coach. Hopefully he stays in NY, and learns under Bates, and we start building some coaching continuity on the offensive side of the ball. No more O coordinator changes. 

[Untouchable]

Starting at 3:50...I don’t think I’ve ever seen Louis Riddick get fired up like that.

 

[section314]

With Bates and McCown, seems like Sam will be in good hands. Just hope that nobody lets him meet Bowles.

[Untouchable]

More people love Jeremy Bates than most seem to think 

 

[IndianaJet]

Makes every single penny of that $10 million worth it.

A hearty and loud  GFY to everyone who complained about resigning McCown.

[BigRy56]

The Jets are SET at the quarterback position. Who the hell saw that coming?

[Patriot Killa]

McCown is probably the most positive and genuine guy in this league full of sh*t attitudes and “you can go second” mindsets(Not that I blame some guys..it’s a competitive league but that doesn’t stop Josh.)

He has always been this way. I’m proud to call Josh McCown a NY Jet. I remember when we first signed him and I was like...w...t...f he has a 2-22 record?

Then as the offseason and season progressed I understood the whole picture. This man is a one of a kind personality and a very important piece for a locker room and QB room in need of a full reboot. He created a bond with everyone and the entire team fought hard together with no individual agendas. This was a full team effort every single game.

Go Josh McCown! Can’t wait to see how the development of Sam Darnold goes and maybe he can be on our coaching staff when he retires.

[Thai Jet]

McCown is a pros pro. Darnold couldn't ask for a better mentor. He's in a great situation with a great team

[RESNewYork]

Speaking of Darnold and coaching, did anyone hear Rex Ryan on the Kay show yesterday?

Rex basically said the coaches at USC are horrible, did no favors for Darnold, and believes Darnold will be better with the Jets because the coaching will be much better.

i know, it's Rex, but I assume he saw something with the way Darnold was being coached at USC.

And I completely forgot Williams and USC. It's nice these two cornerstones already know each other.