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- Mar 19, 2019
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The Eagles knew they needed a veteran backup for Carson Wentz, even if it meant making some special arrangements to find one.
So when they approached Josh McCown recently, they had to bend a bit on their schedule to convince him to sign.
According to Zack Rosenblatt of NJ.com, part of McCown’s deal with the Eagles is that he gets to fly to Charlotte on Friday afternoons so he can continue his planned coaching gig at Myers Park High School, with the understanding he’ll return to Philadelphia shortly thereafter.
The 40-year-old McCown still lives in Charlotte, and said staying nearby was important, as he considered offers. He said the Eagles “understand the family dynamic.”
“The proximity to Charlotte was a factor, and part of why it made sense to sign here,” he said.
He flew back last weekend, shortly after making his first preseason appearance for the Eagles. And his players apparently gave him a standing ovation, after his two-touchdown performance, five days after signing.
“I just wanted them to be focused on the game,” McCown said of his students. “That’s the main thing. But I understand, I guess, the situation. To have someone that’s an active player in the NFL, working with, coaching you, that’s unique.
“I try to appreciate that, but it was short-lived and I got the guys to focus on business as usual.”
For McCown, business as usual included painting the lines on the field, and all the other stuff high school coaches are responsible for.
“He does everything that a regular high school coach does,” Myers Park coach Scott Chadwick said. “He doesn’t just show up, he does all the dirty work.”
That’s what’s kept McCown in the NFL so long as well.