Josh McCown Once "Politely" Told Brandon Marshall to Shut Up

Earl Bennett normally does his #StoryTimeWithEarl segments at the end of the week. However, he made an exception upon hearing the news that former Chicago Bears backup quarterback Josh McCown had announced his retirement from the NFL after 17 seasons. A feat that few have matched at that position. Bennett, like many, had immense respect for McCown.

One of the reasons for that was his likability, but it went beyond that. Bennett reiterated that people never game McCown enough credit for how prepared he was and how good of a leader he could be. Never was that clearer than during his unforgettable run as the spot starter for Jay Cutler in 2013. A stretch where he threw 13 touchdowns to just one interception.

Everything peaked for the offense on a blisteringly cold night at Soldier Field against the Dallas Cowboys. McCown was unstoppable in that game. He threw for four touchdowns and ran over another. Bennett was the recipient of one of them. That may explain why he recalled one of the best memories of his former QB.

Josh McCown wasn't having any of Brandon Marshall that night

Everything was clicking but per usual there was one person who wasn't satisfied with it. That was Brandon Marshall. The mercurial wide receiver felt he wasn't getting the ball enough and decided to let McCown know about it. The QB looked at him and offered a curt reply.

"His presence in the huddle was unmatched. Just because he was QB #2 did not mean he didn’t hold himself as a starter. During the Dallas game, Receiver #1 entered the huddle and stated, “Throw me the ball.” QB #2 politely asked him to “Shut up and just run the play.” This type of mentality proved that not only was he prepared from a statistical standpoint, but he was mentally prepared too. Good deeds on/off the field and his competitiveness to challenge anyone was what made QB #2 excel."

No doubt there are many Bears fans wishing that McCown had been mic'd up that night. It would've made for an iconic sound byte, especially with how things eventually turned out with Marshall. Even so, the QB proved he was an accommodating man. The receiver ended up with six catches for 100 yards in a 45-28 win.