Bill Belichick Releases Amazing Statement About Devin McCourty After WPMOY Nomination

The New England Patriots continue to receive praises for their efforts on the football field. Five Super Bowls will do that for a team. But they are often ignored when it comes to their actions off of the field. Some of the most charitable players in the NFL play for the Patriots, but not once in the team’s history has one of their own won the prestigious Walter Payton Man of the Year award. Devin McCourty has the chance to change that. He was nominated by the team on Thursday for a variety of charitable endeavors. Even Bill Belichick, who rarely gushes so openly about a player, spoke at a press conference about just how much the veteran safety means to the team.

“Yeah, I mean, he’s so deserving of that recognition from our team. You know, Devin’s just a tremendous person, team captain pretty much ever since he got here – second year – has been a great player for us, great leader for us, very unselfish with his time, great example for younger players, just does everything right. [He] trains well, studies, special teams, defense, play deep, play up on the line – whatever you need him to do – play corner, play safety, return kickoffs, cover kickoffs. It’s whatever you need him to do. He’s been a great, great player to have on this team. He’s been a great addition to our team from really the day he got here.”

What Belichick found most amazing about McCourty was how quickly he integrated himself into the culture of a veteran team that had already won three Super Bowls.

“To be recognized by the team that quickly of their presence, leadership and team commitment I would say – unselfishness and team commitment – it probably takes at least a year to do that, in some cases a lot longer. Those guys did it. Devin did it in a year and rightfully so. I’m sure the coaches would have all voted for him, too. We all saw it and the team recognized it. Certainly, [Matthew] Slater, it took a little bit longer, but same type of thing. I mean, look, you’re lucky to have one guy like that, and we’ve had a lot of them around here. But, it’s a great recognition for him.”

Devin McCourty has been a key player in holding together a Patriots defense that has seen quite a bit of turnover over the past several years, but he has also been active in advocating for criminal justice reform and raising both awareness and funds for Sickle Cell research.