Josh WeinfussESPN Staff Writer4 Minute Read
TEMPE, Ariz. — Colt McCoy dedicated a primary sin as a father.
He informed his kids they might get a dog however there was one condition: They needed to wait up until the Arizona Cardinals’ backup quarterback retires.
Ever considering that, his children have actually been drawing photos of various dogs and leaving them on their father’s sink and his oldest child, the 3rd of 4 McCoy kids, has actually been asking the very same concern on repeat.
“From the moment I’ve said that, my son, every day, is like, ‘So, are you going to retire or are you going to play?’” McCoy said. “I was like, ‘What do you want me to do?’ [He’s like] ‘Well, I want you to play.’ ‘Well, then we’ll wait for a dog.’ [He’s like] ‘Ahh, I kinda want a dog.’ He goes back and forth. It’s a funny joke at home.”
It’s safe to state the McCoys aren’t getting a dog whenever quickly. And it’s not since McCoy doesn’t think his kids when they state they’ll tidy up after it.
It’s since McCoy isn’t done playing.
As he invests the next couple of weeks increase towards his 14th NFL season, McCoy is totally leaning into the possibility to continue playing under brand-new coach Jonathan Gannon and offending planner Drew Petzing.
“I think I told you guys last year, like, opportunities to play in this league don’t grow on trees, and I understand the situation that we’re in and I still want to play,” McCoy said. “I still feel confident that I can play and we’re working really hard to learn this new system.”
The 36-year-old McCoy took a while this offseason to consider his playing future. Ultimately, thanks in part to a fixed elbow and a fast healing from a concussion late last season, he chose to lace them up for his 8th head coach.
As of now, McCoy remains in line to start Week 1 for the very first time considering that 2011. With Kyler Murray’s status for the season still in limbo while he recuperates from an ACL tear in his ideal knee, McCoy is anticipated to be the starter up until Murray returns from surgical treatment.
Even without a timespan for Murray’s 2023 launching, McCoy’s technique to this coming season hasn’t altered from years past: Stay prepared.
To do that throughout an offseason of shift, McCoy has actually needed to keep his head in the playbook.
“I think for me, my No. 1 priority is learning the system,” McCoy said. “It’s new, it’s different. There’s things as a quarterback that you got to know that other people don’t have to know and you, ultimately, with the ball in your hands, make everything right.”
Then he included: “I don’t know if Kyler is gonna be healthy or not. I think we all certainly hope that he is, but if he’s not, I’m 100 percent going to be ready to go.”
And his colleagues are positive because concept.
“Colt handles everything like Colt McCoy,” left deal with D.J. Humphries said. “Every time, no matter what situation that he’s in, he’s QB1ing and that’s just who he [is]. That’s his personality, you know what I mean?
McCoy has 36 starts in 56 career games, including three last season. He started twice when Murray was out with a hamstring injury in November, passing for 456 yards, a touchdown and an interception during those games when the Cardinals went 1-1. He was then thrust into the starting role again after Murray suffered the season-ending injury in Week 14. That lasted a little more than a half, though. McCoy left the next game, Week 15 in Denver, 70 seconds into the third quarter after suffering a concussion. He didn’t play the rest of the season.
How long he plays this year is still to be determined but his experience was a benefit to Gannon during OTAs and minicamp.
“I learn a lot from Colt,” Gannon said. “Anytime you have an experienced quarterback that’s played at a high level for that long, as a defensive guy, I’m constantly in his ear asking him things and I value that relationship.”
Wide receiver Marquise Brown summed it up succinctly: “He’s like a coach out there.”
The wait on the McCoy family dog continues in the meantime, however it’s challenging. The concerns will continue.
Which dog will the McCoys get when it’s time?
“I grew up with Labs,” McCoy said. “I love Labs.”
