How Colt McCoy's Experiences Will Help to Daniel Jones Through These Challenging Times

Here's a look at the extra advantages new backup quarterback Colt McCoy can bring to the Giants quarterbacks room.

Colt McCoy has seen a lot in his decade-plus tenure as an NFL quarterback.

But with uncertain times ahead for the Giants and the NFL thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, he, like everyone else, has no idea what the future holds. 

The good news for the Giants is that in McCoy, they're getting a player whose experience covers a wide range of scenarios beyond the Xs and Os that are certain to help Daniel Jones in his second year.

For starters, McCoy is the longest-tenured quarterback in the NFC East, starter or backup, having spent the last six seasons with Washington. And although Washington and Dallas have undergone coaching staff changes, McCoy believes his exposure to the division gives him an advantage.

"I do think it's an advantage," McCoy said during a conference call Wednesday with Giants beat writers. "I think that playing those teams--their systems or their coaches, or their coordinators and things may change, but you do have a feel for players and, and their skillset and it's a very competitive division. And I do think there's value in staying in, in the, in the East for sure."

That experience, along with the lockout of 2011, are all things that McCoy can help Jones overcome.

"Yeah, certainly, I remember that lockout season being, being a real challenge for me," said McCoy, who, like Jones, was entering his second NFL season at the time.

"I think Daniel is well prepared for this. He played a lot more in his rookie year than I did. But still, there are challenges, and it's a new system and new ways to call plays and a new philosophy from what we're trying to accomplish as an offense."

McCoy noted that he'll try to get as creative as possible with not only helping Jones but the rest of his teammates. For now, the primary method of communicating with each other with video conferencing, which McCoy mentioned the Giants were going to begin using starting next Monday, the day they were supposed to commence their off-season program, to learn the installs.

McCoy is also hoping to have opportunities to speak with Jones and veteran Alex Tanney in a smaller group session to go over the finer points of the installs. Then there will be a degree of watching old tape of the Cowboys offense, which new offensive coordinator Jason Garrett ran when he was in Dallas.

"I think as best we can, we're gonna we're going to have to adapt and, and face the challenges just like everybody else in the league," McCoy said. "But I'll do my best to help Daniel and make sure he's feeling as confident as he can and, and we as an offense or are feeling as good as we can do."