Devin McCourty announces his retirement after 13 seasons with Patriots
BOSTON -- An all-time Patriots player is calling it a career. After 13 seasons in the NFL -- all in New England -- Devin McCourty has decided to retire from football.
McCourty made the announcement in a video on his social media accounts Friday afternoon.
"I will always only look good in a Pats uniform, but I will no longer look good in a Pats uniform going forward. I'm officially retiring from the NFL," McCourty said in his post, chatting with his twin brother, Jason. "It has been a great ride. I got the opportunity to talk to Mr. Kraft, Bill [Belichick], a lot of guys on the defensive staff. It was an unbelievable ride.
"It is always kind of tough to come to the end. This whole offseason has been so much back-and-forth for me mentally," he continued. "Ultimately, this is the best decision for me, my family, and my career."
After joining the Patriots as a first-round pick (27th overall) in 2010, McCourty started every game that he appeared in with the team. He missed just five games over his career, playing in 205 regular season contests and another 24 postseason games.
Those 205 games played rank fifth in New England history, after Tom Brady (285), Matthew Slater (213), Bruce Armstrong (212), and Julius Adams (206). His 24 postseason starts are the most ever in NFL history for a defensive player.
McCourty was a starter right from the jump, getting the nod as New England's No. 2 corner in Week 1 of his rookie season. He was a force in his first year, leading the Patriots with seven interceptions, which was tied for the second-most in the NFL that season.
He moved to safety in 2013 and essentially served as the quarterback of the defense from there on out, forming one of the best safety duos alongside Patrick Chung. He was named to the All-Pro second team his first year at the position, and received All-Pro second team and Pro Bowl honors in 2016.
McCourty won his first Super Bowl ring at the end of the 2014 season, coming down with his first postseason interception in the divisional round against the Ravens. He had three passes defended and 10 total tackles in New England's run to a title, including five tackles in the team's Super Bowl XLIX victory over the Seahawks.
He had five more tackles in New England's Super Bowl LI comeback victory over the Atlanta Falcons. A few years later he picked up his third ring when the Patriots beat the L.A. Rams in Super Bowl LIII. He did so alongside his twin brother, Jason, making the McCourty brothers the first twins to play in the same Super Bowl.
For his career, McCourty picked off 35 passes and scored a pair of touchdowns off those interceptions, along with 11 forced fumbles and seven fumble recoveries. McCourty had four interceptions in 2022, and those 35 for his career led all active players at the end of his final season.
McCourty retires with three Super Bowl rings, four Pro Bowl nods, and three All-Pro second team honors. He was a Patriots team captain for 12 straight seasons, giving New England a strong and reliable voice in the locker room in addition to a steady force in the defensive backfield.
He's not sure what is next, but a gig in television (like Jason) could be on the horizon.
"We'll see how it goes and where it turns. But I'm ready to ride that path and see," he said of his future. "I told my wife that we're about to cut all spending, because as of March 15 we don't have a job. We need to find a new job and that's the plan, to find a new job right away."
No matter what he decides to do next, a Patriots Hall of Fame ceremony will definitely be in McCourty's future.
