Quarterback Josh McCown of the New York Jets, clearly the primary mentor for rookie quarterback Sam Darnold, will be honored by Write on Sports at its 13th anniversary Gala Oct. 3 at the Yale Club NYC.
McCown, the Jets starter last year, signed a $10 million one-year contract to return. Given his 15 years in the NFL, he provides Darnold with an experienced eye and ability to teach that would seem to be an excellent match with the rookie.
Write on Sports is a literacy program whose mission is to teach underserved middle school students how to write about sports as a way to help them write. McCown joins Peter King as Gala honorees. Kim Jones, reporter for the NFL Network, will be MC. The evening will also feature students and teachers of the WoS summer camp programs. “This is a great honor,” McCown said.
When the Jets announced that Darnold would be the starting quarterback this year, McCown’s response was complimentary and supportive – that, in fact, it was a good choice for the future of the team and that Darnold had earned the chance.
“Josh McCown is the most unselfish football player I have covered in three decades writing about the NFL,” said King, a Write on Sports trustee, who will be honored for his 29-year career at Sports Illustrated before moving to NBC this year. “He’s 39 now, with his 10th NFL team, and for the first time in his life is making what I’d call real NFL money – and his $10 million package is as much for how much the franchise knew he would help Darnold as for his playing ability.”
In Darnold’s first NFL game last week, he threw an interception on his first passing play of his career. And the first player to meet him when he returned to the bench was McCown, clearly giving him encouragement. What followed was a big Jet’s win and a two-touchdown pass performance by Darnold.
McCown is active in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
