Josh McCown Choked Up After Playoff Debut: 'I Left It All Out There, I Know That Much'

Eagles backup quarterback, longtime NFL journeyman Josh McCown, entered Sunday's matchup against the Seahawks having never appeared in a postseason game. 

That changed, however, early in the first quarter of Philadelphia's eventual 17-9 loss to Seattle, when Carson Wentz was knocked out of the contest with a head injury. 

The 40-year-old McCown was the oldest QB ever to make a postseason debut. And after the loss, the magnitude of the moment was not lost on the third-round pick in the 2002 NFL draft.

"My wife and my family moved around a lot, been a lot, been there for me," McCown said postgame, holding back tears. "So to go out there and get to play in a playoff game was special. And I can't thank them enough for their support."

"It was a heck of a ride. I left it all out there, I know that much."

McCown completed 18 of his 24 pass attempts for 174 yards, but failed to get his team into the end zone. He took the majority of Sunday's snaps for the Eagles after taking only 15 snaps throughout the 2019 season.

The NFL journeyman initially announced his retirement from the NFL in June citing a desire to spend more time with family. He then returned this August, however, putting his family time, and broadcasting career, on hold. 

"So if you would have told me back then that I would go on to play for 10 different NFL teams over the next 17 years, I would have said, “Shoot, 17 years? I’ll take it,” McCown wrote in the Players' Tribune in his initial retirement announcement. “But 10 different teams? No way…. I guess it just goes to show that you don’t always get to choose your own path. But 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."

The SMU product was originally drafted by Arizona in 2002—he is the last remaining active player from that draft class. 

McCown threw for 17,731 yards, 98 touchdowns and 82 interceptions over the course of his career. He went 23–53 as a starter.

"It was fun to be out there for sure," he said Sunday.