BEREA, Ohio -- Hue Jackson revealed the real reason that Robert Griffin III took all the first-team reps in training camp and Josh McCown didn't have a shot in the 'open competition.'

It was McCown's idea.

"(McCown) was the guy that came to me and said, 'Hey coach, make sure this guy gets all the reps he needs to be the best he can be,'' Jackson said Tuesday night on "The Hue Jackson Show,'' which airs in the 92.3 The Fan and the team's radio network. "(He said) 'you know who I am.' Obviously he would love to have the job too, but I think he understands his role."

Shortly after Jackson announced on the eve of training camp that he'd be naming a starter by the first preseason game, McCown approached him and urged to let Griffin all the work.

"When the quarterback competitions kind of drag out through training camp, I don't know if you're any better off because then you have two guys that kind of had half reps,'' McCown said Monday when Griffin was named the starter. "Our team can rally around that guy, and we can move forward accordingly. Robert is certainly plying at a high level right now, and that's exciting. As a competitor, you want to be on the field, you want to play, there's no question about that. At the same time, it's so much bigger. It's about the team.''

McCown, who mentored Johnny Manziel last season, knew that Griffin would need to develop chemistry with his receivers and learn the nuances of Jackson's scheme.

"I've been in the league almost 10 years longer than Robert,'' said McCown, 37. "The evaluation process for he and I are different in the sense that they kind of know what type of player I am and so on. It's relatively knew for Rob and learning the system and all of that stuff, and I think the reps were necessary (for him).''

He stressed, "not in any shape do I think it was unfair. It was exactly how it needed to be to fairly evaluate things. I trust their judgment, I trust their evaluation and then we move on. It's both. As a competitor, you want reps, you want to play. That's what we do this game for, it's to play. Ultimately, they have to make judgments that are best for our team and best for them to evaluate situations. That was no more than that, and I understood."

Throughout camp, Jackson has credited McCown with helping Griffin, off the field as much as on.

"A lot of him getting better has to do with Josh McCown,'' Jackson said. "Josh McCown has really done a great job of spending time with him and mentoring him, helping him to understand to try to make the biggest jump that he can. Our quarterback room is a special place right now. I like all of our guys in there. They're working extremely hard. I hope they continue to get better."

Jackson indicated that he'd love to keep McCown around if roster decisions allow it. The Browns rejected a trade offer from the Cowboys for him last week, and won't part with him unless the price is right. If Griffin gets hurt, the Browns know they can count on McCown, who finished 14th in the NFL last season with a 93.3 rating and went three straight games with 300 yards to set a club record.

In fact, McCown looked better at times during spring practices that Griffin, who was learning the offense and having his game broken down by Jackson and Hamilton.

"Josh McCown is very important to me,'' said Jackson. "Here's a guy with a lot of skins on the wall. He's done a lot of great things in this league and understands it. I think we know how all of this goes. This is not just about who you like. It's about what's best for our organization. He's done a tremendous job and what a good football player. I'm really grateful to have him here and be around him. I think all of the quarterbacks are, too, because he's been outstanding."

Including in ensuring that the Browns new starting quarterback got all the quality reps he needed in camp.