Josh McCown
An NFL quarterback turned coach whose 18-season journey through 12 teams became a testament to resilience and football intellect.
Born 1979 (age 47)·American football player and coach·Birthday: July 4·Generation X
Biography
Josh McCown's NFL career reads less like a straight line and more like a map of the entire league. Drafted in the third round in 2002, he became the ultimate football journeyman, starting games for ten different franchises over nearly two decades. He was neither a franchise cornerstone nor a mere backup; he was a reliable, smart, and fiercely competitive stopgap who could step into any system and compete. His value lay in his preparation, leadership, and ability to mentor younger players, qualities that turned his final playing years into a seamless audition for coaching. His most notable on-field chapter came in 2013 with the Chicago Bears, where he posted a stellar passer rating in relief. After retiring, McCown quickly transitioned to coaching, bringing his hard-earned, panoramic understanding of NFL offenses to the sidelines, where his real impact was always destined to be.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Josh was born in 1979, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Josh Was Born
The biggest hits of 1979
#1 Movie
Kramer vs. Kramer
Best Picture
Kramer vs. Kramer
#1 TV Show
Laverne & Shirley
Josh's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1979Born
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1984Started school
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1992Became a teenager
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
1995Could drive
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
1997Could vote
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2000Turned 21
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2009Turned 30
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2019Turned 40
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 47 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Played quarterback for a record-tying 12 different NFL franchises over 18 seasons.
- Posted a career-high 109.0 passer rating in 2013 for the Chicago Bears across 8 appearances.
- Transitioned directly into an NFL quarterbacks coach role immediately following his playing career.
Did You Know?
He and his brother, Luke McCown, both played quarterback in the NFL simultaneously for several seasons.
He threw a 28-yard touchdown pass on the final play of his first career NFL start for the Arizona Cardinals.
He played for the Hartford Colonials in the United Football League during the 2010 NFL lockout.
“My job is to be ready, to prepare as the starter, and help the team in any role they need.”
