Devin McCourty seems to recognize Tom Brady’s departure for what it is: a challenge. But the New England Patriots safety hardly thinks that challenge is insurmountable. Brady may be a Tampa Bay Buccaneer, but the Patriots are ready to chase a Super Bowl without him.
“People are going to say that because Tom’s gone, the dynasty is over,” McCourty wrote in a letter published to The Players’ Tribune. “They’re already burying us, far as I can tell. And that’s fine. Let ’em. We’ve never listened to the noise, and we’re not about to start now. But the task is definitely taller this coming year than it has been in years past. There’s more work to do. And it’s not gonna be so easy this time around.”
The Patriots had not won a Super Bowl until Brady arrived in New England. Surely, Bill Belichick was a part of the equation, however. The coach has helped engineer some of the NFL’s best defenses over the last 20 years, and he’s likely to continue to do just that. McCourty, who re-signed with the Patriots on two-year, $23 million deal, is likely to be at the center of New England’s postseason plans.
It’s still unclear which quarterback will be at the center of the Patriots’ plans. The team signed free agency Brian Hoyer for his third stint in New England. Quarterbacks Jarrett Stidham and Cody Kessler are returning to the team after serving as backups to Brady in 2019. Stidham seems like the front-runner to win the job, but whichever quarterback takes over, they’ll surely need support from leaders like McCourty.
[vertical-gallery id=82873]