It didn’t take retired Patriots Pro Bowl safety Devin McCourty long to slide into his post-playing career.
NBC announced that the three-time New England Super Bowl champion will be joining its broadcast crew working the pregame show for Sunday Night Football this coming fall.
Despite his limited media experience following his 13-year playing career, McCourty joins the “Football Night in America” team that produces the most-watched studio show in sports leading up to the No. 1 show in TV, Sunday Night Football. During his time with the Patriots McCourty was one of the most universally respected players on the team, a guy who brought leadership, consistency and durability to his key role in the back end of the defense.
McCourty dabbled in media duties in New England over the years, including work for NBC Sports Boston. He also had a very successful podcast from 2018-2020 – “Double Coverage” – that he co-hosted with his twin brother and then-Patriots teammate Jason McCourty. Jason McCourty is currently one of the hosts of NFL Network’s “Good Morning Football,” where Devin McCourty served as a guest host earlier this year.
“I’m excited to be a rookie on the best team in America again,” McCourty said via an NBC press release. “I’m very grateful for this opportunity from NBC Sports to learn from great individuals, chase new goals and provide viewers with my thoughts on the biggest games every week.”
Given his long, successful career playing for Bill Belichick, McCourty brings unique experience and knowledge to his job broadcasting what is generally one of the biggest NFL games of each week of the season. Beyond winning three Super Bowls, after entering the league as a first-round pick McCourty went on to start more playoff games (24) than any defensive player in NFL history.
Now, it will be interesting to see what type of style and tone McCourty brings to his job as an analyst where he’ll be required to break down and critique players, coaches and teams less than a year removed from being part of the on-field football fraternity. It can be a tough transition to make, especially when you’re expected to give honest, objective opinions on friends and former teammates.
But if McCourty is as good as an analyst as he has been at every other role he’s filled in football over his long career, he probably has a bright future ahead at NBC.