Colt McCoy hasn’t started a game since 2014, and wouldn’t be starting this week if not for the horrific leg injury to Washington quarterback Alex Smith.
But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have any applicable experience.
During that 2014 stint as a starter, McCoy led Washington into Dallas, and won that one with an efficient performance (completing 25-of-30 passes for 299 yards). But he never got a consistent chance to play beyond that lost season, forcing McCoy to settle into life as a backup.
Now, he knows it’s all his, and his team’s playoff chances are riding on him.
“It’s not easy but at the same time, I’m thankful for where I am and for the things that I’ve gone through,” McCoy said, via J.P. Finlay of NBC Sports Washington. “Hopefully some of the ups and downs that I’ve been through in my career will help me now, help me in this situation. I think if I didn’t enjoy football, if I didn’t love football, I probably would have maybe been through. But I love the process. I love the challenge each week.”
The 32-year-old McCoy knows the rest of the season belongs to him, after Smith suffered a compound fracture and needed immediate surgery. And he knows Washington’s offensive line remains in flux, after putting both starting guards on IR and the status of left tackle Trent Williams remains up in the air. But he also realizes this is an opportunity, for himself and a 6-4 team that still leads the NFC East.
“I’m thankful for the opportunity but I think it’s even more than that. It’s time to just go play and put everything else aside,” he said. “We have a huge game this week. It’s a huge game.”
For all of them, but especially for a quarterback with things to prove.