Patriots players forced to find new ways to lead with Devin McCourty retired
FOXBORO, Mass. — For many of the veteran New England Patriots players, this offseason felt different than others because one big presence was missing. After 13 seasons in the league, all with the Patriots, Devin McCourty retired following the 2022 season, forcing New England to lose its long-time captain. And nobody has felt that loss more […]
FOXBORO, Mass. — For many of the veteran New England Patriots players, this offseason felt different than others because one big presence was missing.
After 13 seasons in the league, all with the Patriots, Devin McCourty retired following the 2022 season, forcing New England to lose its long-time captain.
And nobody has felt that loss more than Matthew Slater.
“We’re not going to replace Devin McCourty. That guy’s a once in a lifetime in terms of who he is as a person, the way he led for this organization, the things that he stood for, what he was able to accomplish off the field. That won’t be replaced," Slater said. "I think that it would be foolish of us to try and replace that, and I think there are some things that he started here in terms of his legacy that we can try and follow and continue to uphold. But we gotta do it in our own way. We got to be our own man and pursue our own passions and do it with integrity and do it the right way. But you talk about replacing him, you’d have a much easier time replacing him on the field than off the field.”
Slater was drafted by the Patriots in 2008 and two years later, Devin McCourty joined the team. The two played together for 13 seasons, building a bond that extended far beyond the football field.
And even more so, Slater had an interesting name for McCourty during their time together in Foxborough.
“I miss his voice. I always joke that he’s my work wife, so it’s strange for me to be without him. Thirteen years together," Slater said. "Needless to say, it’s an adjustment.”
McCourty's contributions on the field were unmatched, with the safety recording 971 total tackles, three sacks, 12 forced fumbles, seven fumble recoveries, and 35 interceptions during his career.
However, fellow defenseman Adrian Phillips explained that the hardest part isn't finding someone to replace McCourty on the field, but rather finding someone to fill the void he left behind off the field and as a leader.
“I think it’s going well. It’s always going to be hard to replace Devin and you’ll never actually be able to replace him specifically, but as a collective, as a group I think we’re doing a great job. We have guys communicating,” Phillips said. “We still miss the bald guy. The grumpy bald guy, but I think we’re moving along well."
Many of the veteran players have stepped up including Phillips, but it will be interesting to see what the identity of the defense will be this season without McCourty.
Featured Image via Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports
