And with the news that brother Josh will start for the Browns over Johnny Manziel — and the news that brother Luke will step in for the Saints in an injured Drew Brees’ stead — history has repeated itself after an extended hiatus. For the first time since Dec. 9, 2007, the Brothers McCown will start on the same NFL Sunday.
MORE: The NFL backup QB confidence meter | Best of sports siblings
Luke McCown suited up as a Buccaneer that Sunday, losing 28-14 against the Texans in Houston; he completed 25 of 38 passes for 266 yards, zero touchdowns and zero interceptions. Josh had less fun that day. Then the Raiders quarterback — a fate worse than IBS in the mid-2000s — McCown completed 7 of 15 passes in a 38-7 loss at Green Bay, tossing one touchdown and two interceptions.
What else was going on in the world the last time the Brothers McCown took the NFL by storm sprinkle?
“No One” by Alicia Keys was the hot No. 1 single. “Crank That (Soulja Boy)” was still new. No one knew the twist in “I Am Legend” yet because it wouldn’t debut for five more days. Michael Vick would not be sentenced to jail for his involvement in a dogfighting ring until that Monday. Time Magazine was 10 days from naming Vladimir Putin Person of the Year. Did we mention that people were employing both McCown brothers as starting quarterbacks? Simultaneously!
Sunday’s double-feature of McCowns makes official an incredible feat: Since 2002, at least one McCown brother has had a place in the league. And for most of that time, both used their witchcraft and wizardry to swindle teams into yet another contract.
Josh McCown has started 50 games in a career that spans 13 seasons and seven teams, completing 58.8 percent of his passes on his way to 61 touchdowns and 59 interceptions — the most McCownian statistics ever assembled. Luke, conversely, has started nine games since his 2004 debut, suiting up for five different teams. His career completion percentage: 58 percent, of course. His touchdown-interception ratio: 9-14.
The brothers can also commiserate with their mirrored career trajectories: Luke started his NFL life as a Brown before becoming a Buccaneer; Josh’s last two stops, naturally, have been Tampa and Cleveland — with the Browns inking a 3-year, $14 million contract for the now-37-year-old quarterback.
So here’s to brotherhood and the NFL, where the art of recycling quarterbacks past their expiration date is personified by two faces, one last name — one set of proud parents splitting attention for the first time since a Sunday eight seasons removed.
