Devin McCourty honored in retirement ceremony at Patriots Hall of Fame
FOXBORO -- Devin McCourty announced his retirement a few weeks ago. But on Tuesday, the now former Patriots safety closed the book on his football career.
The three-time Super Bowl champ was honored in a ceremony at the Patriots Hall of Fame, with owner Robert Kraft, head coach Bill Belichick, and several teammates from his 13-year career in New England on hand to look back at all the good times. There were plenty of stories and anecdotes to share, and loads of highlights from McCourty's career.
Kraft and Belichick both recalled how they instantly fell in love with everything McCourty brought -- and would bring -- to the franchise. Kraft remembers the Patriots getting blasted for drafting a "special teams player" when they selected McCourty in the first round. Kraft said a more appropriate tag for McCourty was a "special, team" player -- someone who always put team success ahead of personal accolades.
Kraft lauded McCourty for his work in the community, which included raising awareness and fundraising for sickle cell disease and his and his brother Jason's Embrace Kids Foundation to help children facing cancer and other serious health challenges.
Belichick remembers being blown away by McCourty in their first interview, when McCourty was still at Rutgers. No matter what Belichick asked him about the Rutgers defense during a film session, McCourty had all the right answers. He even corrected Belichick a few times, which blew the Hall of Fame coach away.
"I had never had an interview like this," Belichick recalled. "I was stunned that he would know this much about the Rutgers defense."
Greg Schiano, McCourty's head coach at Rutgers and a good friend of Belichick, told the Patriots brass that McCourty was a great corner, but he would also thrive at safety in the NFL. After making a Pro Bowl as a corner in his rookie season, McCourty made the move to safety and carved out a career that rivals few others.
Those three Super Bowl rings are the envy of a lot of players throughout the league, but what set McCourty apart from others was his leadership. A 12-time team captain, Belichick painted the picture of having another coach out there when McCourty was on the field.
But McCourty's leadership qualities went well beyond what happened between the lines.
"The leadership and the person that Devin is is more impressive than the player that he was," Belichick said Tuesday. "He's a Hall of Fame Patriot player, but off the field he gave us so much leadership. Not just vocal, but always doing the right thing. In practice, in meetings, in any kind of prep or activity we were in.
"Whatever things were through his time here, he always did the right thing," added Belichick. "You could always look to him as an example or for encouragement or thoughts on how to improve things."
If anything needed to be said inside the locker room, McCourty was there to say it. And he was always on the field, too, starting every game that he ever played in. Those 205 career starts rank third-most in New England Patriots history.
"Devin's super power was his durability," Kraft said Tuesday.
Asked for his own personal top moment, McCourty had a tough time picking. The three Super Bowl victories are obviously near the top, and they each have a special place in his heart. His first title, which came against the Seahawks in Super Bowl XLIX, was special because it was his first. (And man, that ending was spectacular.) He loved the group that made an epic comeback against the Atlanta Falcons a few years later, and Super Bowl LIII was special because McCourty won it while sharing the field with his twin brother, Jason.
McCourty thanked his family for pushing him to reach these heights in his career. His older brother, Larry, was the one who signed him up for football and gave him the confidence he needed to play the sport. On a number of occasions, McCourty thanked his mother, Phyllis, for all the sacrifices she made as a single mother. He applauded his wife, Michelle, for running the show throughout his playing career.
McCourty thanked the New England coaching staff, which he said was the hardest working staff in the NFL. He thanked veterans like Kevin Faulk, Vince Wilfork, and Jerod Mayo for showing him the way throughout his early seasons in the league.
"I don't know about anywhere else, but my time in New England, I don't think there is a coaching staff that works harder than this staff," he said. "Every single day, all for one moment. It's at the end of that last game in February to hoist that trophy up. … And right after that moment, we're already thinking about how we can win it again. It's that sad and addicting nature that you get with the New England Patriots."
Now we wait to see what is next for McCourty. He'd love to get into television and become a pundit, but no one has come calling. At least not yet. That call should come soon.
Until then, he'll enjoy life as a fan. A fan of the New England Patriots, just to be clear.
"I'm excited to not say goodbye to the fans, but embrace them as a fan," he said. "We'll be like those crazy guys; if Mac throws an interception I'm going to be cursing him out. If Bent misses a tackle I'm going to curse him out. I'm a fan now; they have to have a perfect game. That is the expectation as a fan."
And if you see him walking down the street, there's a good chance he'll be sporting some Patriots gear.
"I'm excited to wear my gear so people hate me," he said. "I'm going to love every minute of that."
While McCourty isn't sure what his immediate future holds, Kraft made it clear that McCourty will be back for another ceremony at the Patriots Hall of Fame in the coming years.
"Four years from now, I anticipate us holding another ceremony on his behalf right outside here," said Kraft.
"See you back here in four years," added Belichick.
