The New England Patriots added an important piece this offseason when they acquired veteran cornerback Jason McCourty from the Cleveland Browns. The twin brother of longtime Patriots safety Devin McCourty, Jason fills an important need at cornerback for the Pats following the departure of starter Malcolm Butler.
But as Devin explains to Mike Reiss of ESPN, Jason also provides other key elements to New England: leadership, the ability to deal with adversity, and different perspective, especially following Cleveland’s disastrous 0-16 season.
“He brings leadership that I think we don't have on this team; he knows how to deal with adversity,” Devin McCourty said. “Sometimes we get in a routine — we've won a lot of football games — and it's always good to hear a different perspective of what it takes so you're not kind of getting worn down or thinking this is too much. You get a perspective from him going 0-16. He always tells me, ‘Last year, worst year ever.' I think hearing that motivates you and lets you know you're doing the right things that push you.”
While Devin has racked up the wins and the Super Bowl rings with New England, Jason has gone through a lot of adversity in his career. He’s experienced just two winning seasons in his nine years in the NFL and is part of some unwanted piece of history with the Browns. His hunger and desire to finally taste victory with the Patriots should give the team an added jolt this season.
Moreover, the Patriots secondary should benefit from his experience to help make up for Butler’s loss. Pass defense was a major weakness for the Patriots last season, and the McCourty brothers will now have an important part to play in getting that unit back to a high level.
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