Patriots Players Don't Even Get To Enjoy Super Bowl Banner Ceremonies
BOSTON (CBS) -- The Patriots have held five banner raising ceremonies over the last two decades, and will have another on Sunday night. It's been such a common practice that they had to reconfigure their banner setup at Gillette Stadium a few years ago.
Fans absolutely love watching the curtain fall to reveal the new laundry that will forever remind them of New England's latest title. The players would probably enjoy it too, if they got a chance to actually see it. But they're busy in the locker room preparing for their upcoming clash, and usually only get a quick recap of the festivities long after they end.
"We don't get to see it. Sometimes my wife will show me the video after the game, but its not the same," safety Devin McCourty told WBZ-TV's Steve Burton for Sunday's Patriots GameDay. "So honestly, I don't think about it. When we come out, we see it's up there and it's like, 'cool.'"
Players can feel the energy carry over from the ceremony when they take the field, and are always looking to build off it when kickoff arrives. But this is the third banner ceremony that McCourty won't see, and the savvy vet he is, he's aware that last year's success won't mean anything Sunday night against the Steelers.
"As a team, the guys on the field, we have to move on and be ready for this game. But for the fans, the excitement of putting an end to last year -- all of that happens before we hit the field, but the energy stays there in the stadium. It's key for us to come out and get off to a good start so all that energy can stay into the game," he said.
With a new year comes a new set of expectations, though the big one remains the same: The Patriots should be adding another banner this time next year. The defense will have a big part of that, with many seeing the New England D as one of the top units in the NFL.
"It's a good group as far as we like being around each other. We like being out there playing football, and I think you saw that in the Carolina game. Whoever is making a play, everyone is excited and jumping around. But it's a group of guys who hold each other to a high standard," said McCourty, a team captain for the ninth time in his career. "For us, it comes down to going out and executing. The expectations don't matter."
The rise of the defense is expected to offset the "decline" of the offense, which morphed into a run-heavy attack throughout last season. But McCourty and the rest of the Patriots defense has no doubt that Tom Brady and company will handle their end of the bargain throughout the season.
"You know me. I never worry about that side of the ball," said McCourty. "We have guys like Tom, Jules, James White -- guys who have done it year in and year out. For us on defense, I never worry about that. The offense will always take care of themselves. And us as a team, we rely so much at playing off each other. We talk about complementary football and that's our goal, to play off each other and pick each other up throughout the game."
After the Patriots kick off their 2019 season against the Steelers, tune in to WBZ-TV for full analysis and reaction on Patriots 5th Quarter!
