To say that Devin McCourty is still going strong in his 12th NFL season would be an understatement.
The 34-year-old safety has played every defensive snap for the Patriots in each of the first two weeks of the 2021 season, the only defender to do so for Bill Belichick’s squad. He also hauled in one of New England’s four interceptions in Sunday’s 25-6 win in New York, while tying for third on the team with five tackles.
McCourty is also one of the most respected leaders in the New England locker room, a consistent voice through wins and losses as well as a powerful presence in the community.
In a league where highlight reel plays and social media self-promotion build brands, McCourty is built differently and always has been. The former first-round pick and four-time Pro Bowler just goes about his business at a high level and lets his consistent play do most of the talking.
For lack of a better description, he simply does his job as consistently and reliably as anyone in Foxborough, a place where doing your job is mantra.
To say that McCourty has earned the ultimate level of acknowledgement from his coaches and teammates, well, that would be another understatement.
“He certainly gets it around here. I mean, I don't know about anybody else,” Belichick responded this week when asked if McCourty gets the recognition he deserves. “Everybody has their own opinions. I don't really know what those are, but certainly around here he's highly respected and appreciated for all the things that he does unselfishly to help our team on the field as well as off the field. I mean, off the field is one thing, but he's a critical person on the field because of his quarterbacking of the secondary of the defense and his play-making ability, his tackling ability and his ability to do the right things in coverage, and that's very, very important for his position because one mistake back there is, you know. It's not like the nose guard making a mistake. There's nobody behind him, so it's a very important position and any mistakes back there can have much bigger consequences than other positions on the field, so yeah.
“I think there's plenty of respect and appreciation for everything he does here, and he's done it on a consistent level. Shows up every day, every week, every year, and that's a huge thing, too.”
McCourty is a major part of the leadership structure in New England that includes such trusted veteran captains as Matthew Slater, James White and Dont’a Hightower guiding the Patriots through a rebuilding process after their first playoff-free season since 2008. Slater has witnessed McCourty’s wide-ranging contributions to the Patriots program first hand and marvels at them.
“I really do. It’s so difficult to maintain a high level of play in this league, let alone to just be out there,” Slater said during his weekly Monday night appearance on “Mut at Night” on WEEI. “It’s so difficult to stay healthy in this league. The game is a violent one and injuries do occur. But for him to be able to be available and to be able to perform at a high level week in week out, season in season out, it’s really remarkable. I think that’s a testament to Devin, who he is. He’s been blessed with some great genetics because you see J-Mac (twin brother Jason McCourty) still playing as well. He works at it. He certainly works at it. He takes nothing for granted and nothings been given to him. He’s gone out and earned each and every step of the way. I’m proud to call that guy a teammate but even more proud to call him a friend.”
Patriots safeties coach Brian Belichick, a young, developing coach in the back end of the defense, gets to see McCourty’s work as closely as anyone. He, like his father, certainly doesn’t take any of McCourty’s contributions as a given.
“I don’t think it gets taken for granted here in the building,” Brian Belichick said last week. “Because we see what he invests into himself and his teammates and the entire organization every day. You don’t just play all the snaps in your 12th year by just rolling the ball out there and just going out and playing. It takes a long week. He would tell, that becomes a lot harder when you get on the other side of 30, as you get older in a playing career. His investment in keeping himself healthy, it’s amazing. I certainly don’t’ take it for granted. I feel very fortunate to have a guy like that who can lead the defense as much as, and stay out there, as much as he does. It’s quite remarkable. But it’s not just good luck or anything. He’s earned it because of the work he’s put in to maintain his body and to stay prepared every week. He’s a great example for the guys on the rest of the team.”
McCourty’s work continues to pay off for himself and the Patriots. As it has every year. Every week. Every play. For more than a decade for a guy who probably doesn’t quite get the outside credit he deserves.
