Cleveland Browns quarterback Josh McCown, who has spent the last three seasons in three different offenses, is looking forward to playing for new head coach Hue Jackson.
McCown, 36, has gone from Chicago to Tampa to Cleveland, and with Jackson’s arrival on Wednesday, the veteran quarterback will learn his fourth offense that the former offensive coordinator of the Cincinnati Bengals will bring to the Browns.
“As a quarterback, you’ve got to get excited about playing for a guy like that,” McCown, who is under contract for two more seasons, told Cleveland.com on Thursday.
McCown noticed his friend, Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton, produce the best statistical season of his career under Jackson in 2015 before fracturing his right thumb with three games left in the season. Dalton finished second in the NFL with a career-high 106.2 rating. Dalton threw 25 touchdowns against only seven interceptions.
“I don’t think anybody would argue that Andy was played at a high, high level before he got hurt and I’m excited about that,” McCown said. “Andy has always spoken very highly of the offense under Hue and he’s been very positive about him.”
Jackson, 50, was offensive coordinator of the Bengals the past two seasons and served as head coach of the Oakland Raiders in 2011, when he went 8-8.
“I’ve been around long enough that I know a lot of quarterbacks in the league,” McCown told Cleveland.com. “They all say great things about Hue.
“When I watch the tape from this year and the last few years, I have respect for what the Bengals were doing because there’s a plan, there’s an intent to where they’re attacking defenses. It’s well thought out and put together. To me, that’s the biggest compliment of anything, because you are what you put on tape and that’s what excites me the most about this.”
McCown is recovering from a broken collarbone suffered in a Monday night game against the Baltimore Ravens on Nov. 30.
McCown started eight games for the Browns and completed 186 of 292 passes (63.7 percent) for 2,109 yards with 12 touchdowns, four interceptions and a 93.3 rating.