The New England Patriots are currently looking to usher in another era of prosperity under new head coach Mike Vrabel and recently named Pro Bowl quarterback Drake Maye. It's been a steep decline for the Patriots since the dynastic days of Tom Brady and Bill Belichick, with the franchise most recently winning a Super Bowl in the 2018-19 season.

One member of multiple championship teams for the Patriots was Devin McCourty, who recently spoke on episode 2 Vice TV's “Brady vs Belichick: The Verdict” about how Belichick was able to keep his players consistently motivated amid their ongoing run of success.

“How do we get everybody's mindset in this whole organization to stop thinking, ‘I'm the best in the world,' and move on? Coach Belichick had some unique ways,” said McCourty. “‘Don't wear any Super Bowl gear in this building. I don't care if you're a player, faculty, I don't want to see it. That's done, it's over with. Wear it when you're done and retired.”

Indeed, Bill Belichick became known for, among other things, his unique coaching methods and psychological tactics to help keep his team one step ahead of the opponent.

Patriots have endured steep decline after losing players like Devin McCourty

Tom Brady celebrates with coach Bill Belichick after winning 13-3 over the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LIII at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
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The Patriots now sit as one of the league's cellar dwellers after spending the better part of two decades as perennial championship contenders.

The team drafted Maye, their new quarterback of the future, out of North Carolina last year, which is where Belichick coincidentally now coaches. Maye ultimately found his footing as a starter down the stretch of the season, backdooring his way into a Pro Bowl appearance due to some other AFC quarterbacks pulling out of the event recently.

The team also hired the coach who gave them Belichick and Brady's last loss in the NFL playoffs, Mike Vrabel, to be their next head coach, hoping to add another dimension to what has been a predictable offense over the last few years.

In any case, the Patriots will now turn their attention to the 2025 NFL Draft, which is slated to get underway in April from Green Bay.