Patriots Devin McCourty Ready For Lucky 13

About to begin his 13th NFL Season, New England Patriots safety Devin McCourty continues to be a stalwart in the Pats defense.

FOXBORO — On the eve of beginning his 13th NFL season, New England Patriots’ safety Devin McCourty is present and ready to continue his journey, for at least one more year.

Even though it has been more than a decade since he first stepped foot on a pro football field, McCourty is keenly aware that each new beginning is a fresh opportunity.

Still, he is candid enough to admit that summer came and went too fast.

"Anyone who tells you they love to be back at training camp, that's a bold-faced lie," McCourty jokingly told reporters on Tuesday. However, it is apparent that he is both excited and intrigued by the potential of New England’s secondary, particularly his teammates at the safety position.

Since being drafted in the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft McCourty has been a stalwart in the Pats defense. Following his conversion from cornerback to safety, the Rutgers product has been one of the Pats most prolific on-field defenders, as well as one of its most respected leaders in the locker room.

Throughout his career, McCourty has appeared in a combined 212 regular season and playoff games as a member of the Patriots. He has become a three-time Super Bowl champion, as well as being voted to two Pro Bowls, three All-Pro teams and the Patriots’ Team of the 2010s.

McCourty was once again a key component of the team’s success on defense in 2021. He served as a leader in the team’s defensive backfield, anchoring the team’s vaunted three-safety sets along with Kyle Dugger and Adrian Phillips. McCourty appeared in all 18 games (17 regular-season, one playoff), compiling 68 total tackles, 10 passes defensed and three interceptions. In the Pats lone playoff game in 2021, McCourty tied Brett Favre and Gene Upshaw for the fourth-most postseason starts with 24.

Although New England’s cornerbacks will garner much of the attention during training camp, the safety depth chart will once again be stocked with versatility and potential in 2022. In fact, the argument can be made that this positional grouping may be the strongest on the Patriots roster, especially after the team added versatile safety Jabrill Peppers as a free agent in the offseason.

“We have a good group with Dugg [Kyle Dugger] and AP [Adrian Phillips],” McCourty said. “Anytime you can add good players [Peppers] it’s always a good thing. I’m excited to get that going and build that process.”

Though his brother Jason recently decided to call it a career, McCourty has returned to the Foxboro fold, having agreed to a one-year contract worth up to $9 million in the offseason. Despite the rigors of training camp, McCourty remains motivated by the promise of potential. As a result, he will be setting the standard in New England’s secondary, before the sun sets on his stellar career.

The Patriots are set to hit the practice fields adjacent to Gillette Stadium at 9:30 a.m. for their first training camp practice of 2022.