New York Jets to Continue Starting Josh McCown at Quarterback for the Rest of the Season
Bryce Petty and Christian Hackenberg will have to wait until next season for a chance to earn a start because the New York Jets are sticking with Josh McCown at quarterback for the rest of the season.
On Wednesday, New York Jets coach Todd Bowles confirmed that McCown was going to start in the final four games of the regular season, barring an injury, of course.
McCown has played mainly as a backup quarterback throughout his career and he has bounced around the National Football League (NFL) before he signed a one-year deal with the Jets in the offseason. He was supposed to be nothing more than a bridge quarterback as the Jets continue to develop Petty and Hackenberg, but he's having a career year and they couldn't possibly bench him right now.
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At 5–7, the Jets are still very much alive in the American Football Conference (AFC) playoff race and Bowles knows full well they need to keep McCown in the starting unit if they want to stay competitive.
Meanwhile, Petty and Hackenberg would have loved to see some game action this season, but they don't seem to have a problem with McCown starting the rest of the way.
"As a competitor, you obviously want to play. But at the same time, for his career and what he's gone through, how do you not root for a guy to finish it out right?" Petty said on Wednesday, according to the New York Daily News.
"As productive as he's been, you want to see that. I'm young, and I'm going to get my shot. I know that for a fact. So I'm just going to keep working," he continued.
"(My opportunity) just hasn't happened yet. I'm not mad about it. I feel like it's counterproductive to be frustrated about it," Hackenberg stated, according to ESPN.
