It appears that comments by Colt McCoy’s father, Brad, have sealed the fate of his son with regard to the player’s future with the Cleveland Browns.
Though the Browns had hoped to land quarterback Brandon Weeden with the 37th-overall pick, the team was in fact ready to replace Colt McCoy, writes ESPNCleveland’s Tony Grossi, after McCoy’s father went to the media following his son’s concussion against the Pittsburgh Steelers on December 8, 2011.
“I’ve been told that McCoy’s fate as a former starter was sealed when his father sounded off about the club’s handling of his concussion,” writes Grossi. “The comments did not drive the pursuit of a new quarterback, but I believe they contributed to McCoy’s demise.”
In 2011, McCoy regressed mightily from his rookie campaign, completing only 57 percent of his passes at 5.9 yards per attempt. He would miss the final three games of the season following the concussion, sustained within a game wherein he would ultimately return to the playing field, leading to a whirlwind of criticism and league attention.
Grossi’s report also confirms WFNY’s intial belief that the Browns were targeting Baylor wide receiver Kendall Wright with the 22nd-overall selection in the recent draft, but opted to go with Weeden following the selection of Wright by the Tennessee Titans at No. 20.
[Related: Browns Backing in to Wide Receiver Improvement]
