New England Patriots defensive back Devin McCourty has announced his retirement from the NFL. The 13-year veteran announced his retirement via Instagram.
“I’m officially retiring from the NFL. It has been a great ride… “I think it’s always tough to come to an end. This whole offseason has been so much back-and-forth for me mentally, but ultimately, I think this is the best decision for me, my family, and my career.”
The Patriots selected the safety in the first round of the 2010 NFL draft. McCourty has led the Patriots locker room for over a decade and has been a leader on and off the field. The three-time Super Bowl champion will retire with 971 tackles, 11 forced fumbles, 35 interceptions, a four-time Pro Bowler, and a three-time All-Pro.
McCourty was a true Patriot, spending his whole career in Foxboro. The 5-foot-10, 195-pounder played in 205 regular season games and is one of 90 NFL players to start 200 games. McCorty consistently played outstanding in the postseason, as he tallied 24 starts, the fourth-most postseason starts in NFL history. He has also started in five Super Bowls and is only one of eight players to achieve that accomplishment.
In his interview with his twin brother Jason, Devin mentioned talking with Patriots head coach Bill Belichick and team owner Rober Kraft throughout the offseason. Both of them released thoughtful statements, which you can find below.
Head coach Bill Belichick:
“It is a rare group of players who win games at a historic rate, exudes team culture, lead, win awards, and win championships. And then there is Devin McCourty,” Belichick said in a statement Friday. “Devin did all of those things as a player and more. But, what I think of first when I think of Devin is the type of man he is, his character, his values, and how high he raised the bar for spreading goodness and justice in the community. For 13 years, Devin made everyone in our organization feel better and be better because of who he is — a pillar of professionalism, unselfishness, work ethic, preparation, intelligence and performance. I am excited to see him bring those same traits to his next chapter and brighten the lives of even more people.”
Patriots owner Robert Kraft:
“As a Patriots fan, it’s always bittersweet to see such an iconic player announce his retirement, but I couldn’t be happier for Devin, Michelle, and the McCourty family or more thankful to his mother, Phyllis,” Kraft said. “Through his individual performance and overall leadership, Devin has been such an important part of the success we have enjoyed over the past 13 seasons, including each of our last three Super Bowl championships. As great as his contributions were on the field, he made an even greater impact in the community, taking a leadership role in his advocacy for finding a cure for sickle cell anemia, effecting legislative change for criminal justice reform, and championing countless other educational and economical advancement initiatives. We couldn’t have asked for a better leader and ambassador, both on and off the field.”
My name is Ben Belford-Peltzman and I am the creator and writer of The Patriots Beat. I am a 17-year kid who is an optimistic pessimist about the City of Champions. I started The Patriots Beat in August of 2022 and never expected to grow so much but here we are. Feel free to email Thepatriotsbeat@gmail.com with any inquires.
