the decision to start Culpepper, with Kiffin stating, "I felt it was time to go with Daunte and see if he can give us a little spark," and "It's nothing against Josh." McCown ended up being inactive for the Vikings game due to his injury. Culpepper then started the next game against the Kansas City Chiefs, but he suffered a sore quadriceps during the game that intensified later in the week. Due to his injury, Culpepper did not play in another game that season. McCown started the next game against the Denver Broncos. During the game, McCown threw for 141 yards, three touchdowns, no interceptions, and a then career-high 125.2 passer rating as the Raiders beat the Broncos by 34–20. McCown then started the next three games, but number-one overall draft pick JaMarcus Russell played the majority of McCown's third start. Russell also started the final game of the season. McCown played in 9 games, all starts, in 2007, and completed 111 of 190 passes for 1,151 yards and 10 touchdowns with 11 interceptions, while also rushing for 143 yards. The Raiders finished the year with a 4–12 record and were 2–7 in games that McCown started. In 2007, he was the final winner of the NFL Quarterback Challenge. He became a free agent on February 29, 2008. Miami Dolphins On February 29, 2008, McCown signed a two-year contract worth $6.25 million with the Miami Dolphins. A chance to compete for the starting job factored into his decision to sign with Miami. Prior to training camp in July, McCown needed six stitches in his throwing hand's index finger. He was holding firewood and his brother Luke accidentally grazed Josh's finger with a chainsaw. On August 4, 2008, the Dolphins released their first depth chart of the season and had McCown listed as the starter over John Beck and Chad Henne. However, head coach Tony Sparano said that Beck and Henne had not been ruled out as potential starters for the team's first preseason game on August 9. Free agent quarterback Chad Pennington signed with the Dolphins on August 8 and was expected to be the team's starter. McCown played in the team's first preseason game on August 9 but not until the fourth quarter of the contest. He then failed to appear in the team's final three preseason games. Pennington was officially named the team's starter on August 25, before