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Jason McCourty recently retired but the former New England Patriots cornerback will be headed right back to work this season.
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McCourty will be joining the cast of “Good Morning Football.”
“I’m excited to bring an inside perspective of what it’s like to be an NFL player,” McCourty said via an NFL press release. “I’ve had the pleasure to experience it all in the NFL, from being drafted at the end of the sixth round, to being cut, then traded and finally retiring. I’ve endured seasons of 0-16 to hoisting a Lombardi Trophy in Super Bowl LIII. Good Morning Football now gives me the platform to share those experiences and lessons with fans all over the world.”
This isn’t McCourty’s first foray into the media. He hosts a podcast with his brother Devin titled “Double Coverage with the McCourty Twins.”
How Did McCourty Perform in New England?
McCourty joined the Patriots in 2018 and it is safe to say the move paid off for the cornerback. He helped the Patriots win Super Bowl LIII and will always be remembered for his tremendous effort to track down a pass intended for Brandin Cooks to prevent a touchdown.
McCourty spent three seasons in New England and played in 44 games. The cornerback tallied 152 tackles, 19 pass deflections, and two interceptions.
Super Bowl LIII would prove to be McCoury’s only Super Bowl ring.
McCourty retired with 173 games to his resume and racked up 744 tackles, 108 passes defended, 18 interceptions, and nine forced fumbles.
What Other Patriots Have Transitioned to the Media
While it might be surprising with how tight-lipped, the Patriots organization has had a lot of former players join the NFL media.
One of the biggest names has to be Tedy Bruschi. The Patriots linebacker joined ESPN after his 13-year NFL career. The three-time Super Bowl champion is still a part of the network’s football coverage and has been inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame.
Bruschi is also joined by Rob Ninkovich at ESPN. Ninkovich joined ESPN in 2019 after an 11-year NFL career.
The veteran spent eight seasons with the Patriots and won two Super Bowl rings. Ninkovich finished his career in New England with 454 tackles, 46 sacks, 14 fumble recoveries, and 12 forced fumbles.
Scott Zolak is also a prominent member of the Patriots media as a color analyst for the radio call of games and is a mid-day radio host on 98.5 The Sports Hub. While Zolak’s NFL career wasn’t anything spectacular — appearing in 55 games and tallying 1,314 passing yards, eight touchdowns, and seven interceptions — Zolak has been a star of the New England media landscape.
Zolak isn’t alone at 98.5. Ted Johnson also appears on the radio station and occasionally hosts shows. The linebacker spent 10 seasons with New England and won three Super Bowl rings. Johnson also racked up 529 tackles and 11.5 sacks.
So McCourty will join a long list of former Patriots who are now members of the media. While he is no longer on the field, New England fans will still get to see him talk about the game he loves.