By now everyone has heard Danny Amendola's comments from earlier in the week when he said Tom Brady is the "Patriot Way."
Many media pundits, as well as former players, have reacted over the last few days. The latest player to respond was Devin McCourty during a Friday morning appearance on ESPN's "Get Up."
McCourty disagreed with Amendola, saying the comments didn't come out the correct way and were a "slap in the face" to other great Patriots players.
“I think Dola is trying to let people know Tom’s greatness. I don’t think that came out the correct way at all," he said. "What he said about the coaches is true, that’s what coaching is — it’s watching film and putting guys in the right position and when I think about the Patriot Way, I think about a team.
"Whether you want to call Tom the best player on the Patriot Way and leader of it, no doubt about it. But, you can’t tell me in all of those games and all of these years throughout, that the defense and other guys haven’t had something to do with that. That’s all guys believing in that. We’ve had great players across the board. We’ve had guys like Darrelle Revis, Vince Wilfork, the Tedy Bruschis, Willie McGinests, the Ty Laws — those guys. Ty Law is a Pro Football Hall of Famer, he is the Patriot Way also. Whether you want to call Tom the leader of the Patriot Way, because I think a lot does trickle down from him, but I think it was a little bit of a slap in the face to all of the other guys who are not Tom Brady — the Julian Edelmans, the Gronks.
"I don’t think he meant it that way, I think he really wanted to push Tom Brady’s greatness and what Tom Brady is because everyone puts us in this Brady vs. Belichick kind of arena and I think Dola was trying to tell people, like Tom is a great player. For me, I don’t think you have to defend that. Turn on the film, turn on this year. If you thought Tom Brady was a system quarterback, you probably need to go dive in the snow if you’re in the Northeast right now, head first, because he’s shown every bit of him. He can go win anywhere and really at any moment. The guy is 43 years old and is playing in another Super Bowl — his 10th. His greatness is definitely out there.”
McCourty's Patriots missed the playoffs for the first time since 2008. He said it's both "awesome" and "bittersweet" to see Brady and Rob Gronkowski playing in another Super Bowl.
“It’s been awesome," he said. "I came in to the NFL with Gronkowski — me and Gronk drafted the same year. Ten years with Tom, so to watch those two guys leave our team and still bring success and still bring everything they’ve learned throughout their NFL careers to Tampa, a team that didn’t make the playoffs last year, now having an opportunity to win a world championship, it’s been awesome to watch.
"A little bittersweet because you would rather [have] those two guys suiting up with you on Sundays, but it’s still awesome to see those guys going up there doing it again. Obviously for Tom, his legacy and what he’s done in this league. He doesn’t have to do any more, but to continue to watch him and his greatness to get better and better each year has just been unbelievable.”
