Eagles

Contingency Plan: Josh McCown at Wide Receiver

By Kevin Kinkead

Published: Dec 10th, 2019 · 10:13 AM EST

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The Eagles were down to just Greg Ward last night after receivers Alshon Jeffery and J.J. Arcega-Whiteside left the game. They only dressed three to begin with.

Zach Ertz ended up catching the game-winning touchdown pass, but the contingency plan was for 40-year-old backup quarterback Josh McCown to play receiver if necessary, as he explained to the media after the game:

“I was ready to go,” McCown told NBC Sports Philadelphia’s John Clark. “We had the helmet ready to go. The equipment guys were all over it. Had the radio-less helmet because you can’t have two green dots on the field at the same time.”

McCown didn’t end up playing in Monday’s 23-17 overtime win. The Eagles got by with what they had, which meant playing third tight end Josh Perkins in several different spots.

But the oldest player on the roster was ready.

“We were ready to roll,” he said. “Shoot, I’d get in there and go. Obviously, as a quarterback, you know the offense. I guess it was like 12 years ago in Foxboro I had to go in and do it.”

Sounds kind of goofy, but Doug Pederson confirmed this on 94 WIP Tuesday morning, saying:

“That was accurate. Why can’t he (do it)? He’s active, he’s dressed. He’s actually done that in a game before, in his career he has done that. Now it has been about ten years ago, but he has lined up as a receiver in an actual football game, yes he has.”

For what it’s worth, McCown has three career receptions for 10 yards. He caught two of those in the Foxboro game he mentioned above:

Josh McCown stays ready for that WR work “Put me in coach” #Eagles pic.twitter.com/u1SdKNc91t

— IB THE GAMBLER 🔌 (@incarceratedbob) December 10, 2019

Perhaps he could have sliced and diced the Giants if given a chance, but we’ll never know.

Here’s the Doug audio, if you’d like to listen. I was in the truck earlier, dropping off my daughter at daycare, while “Butch from Manayunk” was explaining that he was drinking fireball and smoking weed at the game and then decided to drive home. That’s solid, responsible decision making by him.