After playing 13 seasons in the NFL — including 6 with the Washington Commanders — quarterback Colt McCoy is officially retiring from the NFL and headed into broadcasting.
McCoy, who played for Washington from 2014 to 2019, announced his retirement with a YouTube video on Aug. 19 and simultaneously announced he was going to work for NBC Sports as an analyst for Big Ten Conference football coverage.
“Football’s been what I’ve done for 37 years. I gave it all I had,” McCoy said in the YouTube video.
McCoy played in 12 games for the Commanders and went 1-6 as a starter. He also played for the Cleveland Browns, San Francisco 49ers, New York Giants and most recently for the Arizona Cardinals.
McCoy cut his teeth doing color commentary for NBC’s USFL games in 2023 and will make his college debut on Sept. 7 in a high-profile game with Colorado at Nebraska.
“College Football has always held a special place in my heart. With the expansion of the Big Ten and new era of College Football, it is the perfect time to join NBC Sports,” McCoy said in a press release from NBC Sports.
McCoy One of Greatest College QBs of All Time
While McCoy played 13 seasons in the NFL, he is still much more well known for his time as the quarterback at the University of Texas from 2005 to 2009.
McCoy was a redshirt freshman on Texas’ 2005 BCS national championship team then became a 4-year starter for the Longhorns. He left school with the NCAA Division I career record for wins for a quarterback (45), was the only player in school history to win or share team MVP 4 consecutive years and was a 2-time Heisman Trophy finalist. He was also a two-time Walter Camp Player of the Year Award winner and led Texas to the BCS National Championship Game following the 2009 season. He also won the Maxwell Award and the Davey O’Brien Award that season.
Against Alabama in the BCS National Championship Game, McCoy was famously knocked out of the game with a shoulder injury on Texas’ first offensive series.
McCoy was drafted by the Browns in the 3rd round (No. 85 overall) of the 2010 NFL draft.
Journeyman Career Netted McCoy Tens of Millions
McCoy, 37 years old, played 3 seasons for the Browns, 1 season for the 49ers, 6 seasons for Washington, 1 season for the Giants and 3 seasons for the Cardinals before an elbow injury forced the team to release him prior to the 2023 season.
In total, McCoy played in 56 games and went 11-25 as a starter, throwing for 7,975 career yards with 34 touchdowns and 32 interceptions. He also rushed for 582 yards and 2 touchdowns.
During his time in Washington, McCoy was the primary backup to Kirk Cousins then to Alex Smith. He started a career-high 13 games for the Browns in 2011, going 4-9 that season. He also
McCoy’s consistency and reliability kept him in the NFL for that decade-plus — a reliable backup in the NFL is worth millions per year — and he finished his career with $26.4 million in career earnings. He made over $3 million in a year four times, including 3 seasons with the Commanders, and brought home a career-high $3.75 million with the Cardinals in 2022.
