NFL: McNown's Fall From Grace

When the Chicago Bears drafted Cade McNown from UCLA in 1999 with the 12 overall pick, I was elated. I thought the years of inconsitency at the quarterback position were finally coming to an end. Most Bears fans shared that same sentiment but now we're all sitting back wondering just what the heck happened.

Evaluation of talent is one of the most important things a football organization does. Mark Hatley, the Bears Director of player personnel, has done an exemplary job in this area the past couple of years.

He has proven to have the knack of finding that 'diamond in the rough' when the draft gets to the later rounds. Several starters on the Bears defense were drafted as low as the fourth round. Roosevelt Colvin and Warrick Holdman, both linebackers, are two of them that have made an impact. Knowing Hatley's past record makes it even harder to understand how McNown has fallen from grace so quickly.

McNown reminded me of a youthful Steve Young. He is comparable in size, mobility, and arm strength. When Young was drafted out of BYU to the USFL, he went through the usual trials and tribulations of a maturing quarterback. Those trials were nothing compared to the two dismal seasons he endured with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers when he came to the NFL in 1985.

I remember people speaking in the same light about Young that they do right now about McNown. Take a look at these statistics from both quarterbacks in their first two years in the NFL:

Steve Young:

1985 - 72/138 passing, 935 yards, 3 TD's, 8 Interceptions, 56.9 QB rating

1986 - 195/363 passing, 2282 yards, 8 Td's 13 Interceptions, 65.5 QB rating

Cade McNown:

1999 - 127/235 passing, 1465 yards, 8 TD's, 10 Interceptions, 66.7 QB rating

2000 - 154/280 passing, 1646 yards, 8 TD's, 9 Interceptions, 68.5 QB rating

Now, looking at those stats, McNown's are actually better than Young's were. So where does the hammer fall? One word. Attitude. McNown has done so much damage to his own reputation both off the field and on that he's dug himself a hole that he may not be able to dig out of, at least in Chicago. Reports started flooding news desks in the Chicago/metro area that Cade was garnering special treatment from the coaching staff. According to several Bears players, McNown was never reprimanded for mistakes. The situation was made even worse when he started placing blame on those around him for his own inequities. He admonished Chicago fans for booing him when he wasn't playing well, and he was a no-call/no-show at a planned charity event for homeless children in the downtown area.

I truly believe that the majority of McNown's on-the-field problems are directly related to what he does outside the stadium. If he can fix the things that are going on around him and find a way to gain back the trust and respect of his teamates, you will see a winner on the field.

All the equipment that the players carry onto the field weighs enough. The extra baggage from off-the-field mistakes can make it that much heavier.