Devin McCourty Retires After 13 NFL Seasons; Won 3 Super Bowls with Patriots

New England Patriots veteran defensive back Devin McCourty has announced his retirement from the NFL.

Patriots Chairman and CEO Robert Kraft said in a statement:

"As a Patriots fan, it's always bittersweet to see such an iconic player announce his retirement, but I couldn't be happier for Devin, Michelle, and the McCourty family or more thankful to his mother, Phyllis. Through his individual performance and overall leadership, Devin has been such an important part of the success we have enjoyed over the past 13 seasons, including each of our last three Super Bowl championships. As great as his contributions were on the field, he made an even greater impact in the community, taking a leadership role in his advocacy for finding a cure for sickle cell anemia, effecting legislative change for criminal justice reform, and championing countless other educational and economical advancement initiatives. We couldn't have asked for a better leader and ambassador, both on and off the field."

Patriots head coach Bill Belichick added:

"It is a rare group of players who win games at a historic rate, exude team culture, lead, win awards, and win championships. And then there is Devin McCourty. Devin did all of those things as a player and more. But, what I think of first when I think of Devin is the type of man he is, his character, his values and how high he raised the bar for spreading goodness and justice in the community. For 13 years, Devin made everyone in our organization feel better and be better because of who he is – a pillar of professionalism, unselfishness, work ethic, preparation, intelligence and performance. I am excited to see him bring those same traits to his next chapter and brighten the lives of even more people."

The decision comes as no major surprise after McCourty told Peter King of NBC Sports in January that he was going to take his time coming to a decision on his playing future.

The 35-year-old had been a staple in the New England secondary since being selected in the first round of the 2010 NFL draft, and he was still competing at a high level before his retirement.

The safety posted four interceptions, eight pass breakups, one fumble recovery and 71 tackles in 17 games during the 2022 campaign. Two of those interceptions came against Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow and Buffalo Bills signal-caller Josh Allen, both of which are the best in the game.

The Rutgers product appeared in 205 games across 13 seasons, posting 35 interceptions, 110 pass breakups, 11 forced fumbles, seven fumble recoveries, three sacks and 971 tackles. He also earned two Pro Bowl selections and helped the Patriots win three Super Bowl titles.

With McCourty in retirement, the Patriots will have a huge void to fill in their secondary, which is also made up of Kyle Dugger, Jalen Mills, Jack Jones, Adrian Phillips, Shaun Wade, Joshuah Bledsoe and Brenden Schooler.

It's unclear how New England intends to bridge the gap.