Cleveland Browns: Ranking every starting QB since 1999
Colt McCoy 2010-2011
Colt McCoy was the 85th overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, a third-round selection by the Cleveland Browns. The University of Texas graduate was not expected to play in his first season in Cleveland, and was often doubted due to his lack of size. Though the goal was to sit McCoy for his rookie season, the Browns were not able to achieve this due to early season injures to two of their quarterbacks, Jake Delhomme and Seneca Wallace. All of a sudden, the third string quarterback at the beginning of the season was thrust into the starting role for the Week 6 game in Pittsburgh.
McCoy completed 23 of 33 passes in his debut, a loss to the Steelers. Many fans were impressed with the rookie even so, and he earned himself another start the following week. Week 7 of the 2010 season was when the apex of McCoy’s career began. The Browns stunned the NFL with two consecutive upset victories, one over the defending champion New Orleans Saints, and the next over the New England Patriots. Cleveland then went on to fall to the Jets in overtime, a fourth consecutive game in which McCoy played very well.
After that, however, injuries began to plague the rookie’s promising career. In Cleveland’s victory over Jacksonville, McCoy injured his ankle, and his career would never be the same. Concussions throughout his next two seasons with the Browns kept him on the sidelines for the majority of each year, and McCoy was traded to the 49ers after a 2012 season spent backing up rookie Brandon Weeden.
Colt McCoy is a unique Browns quarterback because it appears that his three seasons in Cleveland were the best of his career. McCoy was criticized for a variety of shortcomings, but it reality, he never really had a chance with the team that surrounded him. This, coupled with injuries and bad timing, prematurely ended what looked to be a promising career.
Since McCoy led the Browns during the best two week span since before the team left, he finds himself in the top ten on this list. But like most Cleveland quarterbacks, he left with much to be desired.
Next: No. 8: Brandon Weeden