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.

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.