Colt McCoy discusses his coaching in Washington, how it impacted his career

Current Arizona Cardinals quarterback Colt McCoy will be going into his 13th NFL season this fall, but he wasn’t always sure his career would have this kind of length.

Things really turned for him during a five-year stint in Washington, where McCoy linked up with now Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay. McVay took over as offensive coordinator for the Commanders as McCoy arrived in 2014.

“After Sean, like I was able to learn a bunch,” Colt McCoy said recently on the Green Light Podcast with Chris Long. “I was there for seven years from Jay (Gruden), from Kevin O’Connell. I just feel so privileged to like play for those guys, because they helped me so much.”

After starting 21 games in his first two seasons with the Cleveland Browns and having mixed results, McCoy appeared in only three games in 2012, his third and final season with the club.

Then it was on to San Francisco for a year, then Washington.

It was in Washington that Colt McCoy said he really learned a lot of things about being a pro, like how to read coverages and break down every angle of a defense and more. He started only seven games in five years there, making appearances in only 12 total games, but he credits some of the visionary coaches he played for during that stint with extending his career.

“I’d venture to say there’s plenty of quarterbacks who were more talented than me or better than me that just got themselves in some situations, and if you don’t win in the NFL it just kind of chews you up and spits you out,” Colt McCoy said. “I got to go to Washington and be there for seven years, and I started at times. Was just well coached.”

Even though he’s since gone on to the New York Giants and now the Arizona Cardinals, McCoy had nothing but positive things to say about the Washington coaching staff.

Fans can be proud.

“I think if you are a Washington fan, like you’ve got to respect some of the guys that came through the building there,” Colt McCoy said. “Look what they’re doing now. It’s been impressive. The Shanahans, McVay, Kevin. A lot of the guys who were position coaches are now coordinators in different places.

“I think just having those years like after Cleveland, just really, really helped me find my confidence and figure out, ‘Oh yeah, yeah, like this fits me. I feel good in this system, I can play.'”