Patriots' Devin McCourty gives candid response to Tom Brady departing New England - CBS Sports

The New England Patriots are ushering in a new era in the franchise's history now that Tom Brady has taken his talents to Tampa following two decades of dominance in Foxborough. One of the key pieces to help guide the Pats through this new dawn is safety Devin McCourty. 

In a Players' Tribune piece published on Tuesday, the longtime Patriot opened up about Brady's departure and noted that he found out on social media like everyone else. McCourty did, however, have a gut feeling that this would ultimately be Brady's fate once free agency was drawing closer. 

"I kind of knew when we got closer to free agency and he didn't have a deal done that he wasn't coming back," he wrote. "It's still a little surreal because … it's TOM, you know? He's been here 20 years. He's won six rings. He's the greatest to ever do it. So it definitely won't be the same now that he's gone. 

"But honestly, I'm happy for him. He's earned the right to finish his career wherever he wants and chase whatever he feels like he needs to chase. I'm just glad he's doing it in the NFC." 

McCourty's decade-long tenure with the Patriots was almost up this year as well. In the same Players' Tribune piece, the veteran safety revealed that he thought he would need to leave New England to find a new challenge in his NFL career. Instead, he re-upped for two more years at a total of $23 million. As for that new challenge, McCourty states that he wants to help lead "this Patriots team into a new era and helping ensure that this next wave of players can continue our legacy and build on what we've already achieved as a franchise."

One of the first orders of business for New England in their rebuild is finding Brady's successor. When it comes to options currently on the roster, second year quarterback Jarrett Stidham is an intriguing option who has already received high praise from McCourty. If Stidham proves to be the long-term answer, McCourty might not only be able to help bring New England to this new era, but be a key piece in helping them contend for a seventh Super Bowl down the road. 

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2020-03-24 14:44:37Z
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