After 17 seasons and 10 teams, Josh McCown -- the quarterback who was the Cardinals' third-round pick in 2002 -- officially retired Monday, sliding into an analyst role for ESPN. He never turned into the "great one" Dennis Green once said he would be, although that belief allowed the Cardinals to pass on QBs like Ben Roethlisberger and Philip Rivers in the 2004 draft and take Larry Fitzgerald overall.

That, along with the McCown-to-Poole Hail Mary TD to close the 2003 season and break the Vikings' collective heart, were McCown's biggest highlights as a Cardinal (That pass could not save the job of coach Dave McGinnis, although it led to a memorable locker room speech.) McCown lasted through the 2005 season when he was Kurt Warner's backup for a year. After that season, McCown left and the Cards drafted Matt Leinart, and everyone knows how that turned out.

But McCown carved out quite a career. He was never a star, but he was the perfect backup QB, one reason so many teams were willing to bring him in. You also will never find a better guy than McCown, again, making him perfect in the locker room and -- yes, I am biased -- as someone to cover.