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The New England Patriots might have to replace a giant in their locker room this offseason.
Speaking after New England’s Week 17 win over the Miami Dolphins, Patriots team captain Devin McCourty spoke about the possibility that he played his final game at Gillette Stadium.
“I took a moment,” McCourty said. “Spend some time with my family on the field. It’s been a great run. To come out here, if this was the last one, I think to be able to leave Gillette with a win, very similar to how my first-ever game was a win. I’ve had a lot of fun. These guys have been awesome to go out here and compete with. You never know how football goes. But I’d be lying if I said I didn’t think about it before the game, and just now. Give a high five to the Minutemen, something I’ve done over and over and over again after wins. Just kind of think about that, let that settle in, just trying to make sure I stay in the moment, enjoy. But definitely gave it a few seconds today.”
McCourty is 35 years old and has little left to prove in the league. He is a three-time Super Bowl champion and is also a two-time Pro Bowler. In over 200 games played he has racked up 34 interceptions, 11 forced fumbles, and 3.0 sacks, per Pro Football Reference.
Devin McCourty’s Patriots Teammates Heaped Praise on Him
With retirement a possibility, numerous Patriots were asked what it meant to play with McCourty. Linebacker Matthew Judon praised McCourty for his ability to stay calm.
“I believe just with all the bullets flying, with all the emotions out there, everything hectic, Dev is very stoic,” Judon said. “He is always calm. He always communicates. He always gets us in the right call. I don’t know how long he’s been wearing a green dot, but since I’ve been here he has been wearing a green dot. He’s been a play-caller. That’s how you know a person is a staple to offense and defense, right? Dev has been a staple. Even though he dropped that pick today, I think the consistency over years, over a time frame, has been kind of unbelievable. That’s why I think he’s a first ballot, but he definitely will go down in Patriots’ history for everything that he did for this defense and this team.”
Fellow safety Kyle Dugger mentioned that McCourty is a player that he has looked up to.
“One hundred percent. Dev, he’s been huge, somebody for me to look up to, talk to, learn from,” Dugger said. “It’s been a huge blessing for me to have him in that room with me. I’m super thankful for it. To answer your question, yeah, I definitely look to take that, learn from what he’s done, how he’s led for so long, continue to try to do it so well. I’m definitely lucky to have him in there.”
It Could Be Matthew Slater’s Final Patriots Game As Well
At 37 years old, Slater is on the brink of retirement as well. Similar to McCourty, the special team’s star has done it all with three Super Bowl rings along with 10 trips to the Pro Bowl and two All-Pro nods.
Patriots head coach Bill Belichick spoke at length about Slater and McCourty.
“Devin has done about everything a player could do for this program, Belichick said. “Say the same thing about Matt Slater in the kicking game. I mean, I don’t know if there’s ever been or ever going to be a player than Matt Slater as an overall special teams player and the leadership he brought to the team, along with Devin. Devin came in as a corner, went to the Pro Bowl, moved to safety, led the defense from the safety position from his second year on. His off-the-the field leadership, on-the-field leadership is superior, as good as anybody I’ve ever coached at that position. He does everything right. He’s done everything right since he’s been here. He knows the line calls. He knows the defense inside and out, so he has total respect from everybody because of his preparation and his unselfish play. Same thing for Slater. I don’t know if he was here either, same question, but probably.”
Belichick even spoke about the two players on a personal level and what they meant to him.
“What those two guys have done, what they mean to this organization, what they mean to me personally, what they’ve done here, it’s pretty impressive, pretty elite,” Belichick stated.
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