As Tom Brady departed for Tampa Bay last week on a two-year, $50 million deal, last year’s second-string quarterback on New England’s roster Jarrett Stidham has been discussed as a potential replacement. Team captain Devin McCourty informed fans of the potential Stidham’s shown in practice last year including his ability to read defenses effectively.

“To me, the best thing for Stiddy was that he had to go against our defense every week. He didn’t have it easy,” McCourty said Sunday on his Double Coverage podcast. “I love his poise. I would be faking a blitz sometimes and we’d make eye contact and he’d just start smiling and laughing.”

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He later added, “To me, there were weeks where he was just on-point. And those were some of our best weeks as a defense, mainly because Stiddy ate us up in practice leading up to the game, and I think put more pressure on us. So I really admire just how hard he works, and then I’ve got to know him off the field as well. He’s a really good guy. Young guy, but very mature. He’s married. I think the Stidhams are going to be in New England for a long time.”

The 23-year-old was drafted in the fourth round in 2019 out of Auburn and was able to impress coaches enough to move ahead of Brian Hoyer on the depth chart. Hoyer has since re-signed on a one-year deal and fifth-year quarterback Cody Kessler will remain the third quarterback on the roster.

McCourty revealed that Bill Belichick would regularly test Stidham to run opposing team’s offenses and throw different defensive packages at him to evaluate his ability. McCourty also mentioned that the defense would comically talk trash to Stidham during those sessions.

McCourty later praised Hoyer’s leadership skills following the Patriots’ decision to re-sign the 34-year-old veteran quarterback who may take on a mentor role for Stidham.

“He has a veteran presence. He’s played on multiple teams. He knows our offense very well,” McCourty said on the podcast. “I think he’ll bring experience and knowledge, and if he has to go out there and play, he’s going to compete at a high level. Or if it’s coaching up young quarterbacks, I think he’s a guy that’s going to be very necessary to have in our locker room.”

As the New England Patriots go head-on into a new era without their long-time quarterback Tom Brady, Patriots defensive back, Devin McCourty has spoken out on Brady’s departure.

In a Players’ Tribune piece published on Tuesday, the longtime Patriot opened up about Brady’s departure and noted that he found out on social media like everyone else. McCourty did, however, have a gut feeling that this would ultimately be Brady’s fate once free agency was drawing closer.

“I kind of knew when we got closer to free agency and he didn’t have a deal done that he wasn’t coming back,” he wrote. “It’s still a little surreal because … it’s TOM, you know? He’s been here 20 years. He’s won six rings. He’s the greatest to ever do it. So it definitely won’t be the same now that he’s gone. But honestly, I’m happy for him. He’s earned the right to finish his career wherever he wants and chase whatever he feels like he needs to chase. I’m just glad he’s doing it in the NFC.”

McCourty’s decade-long tenure with the Patriots almost came to an end as well this offseason. In the same piece, the veteran safety revealed that he thought he would need to leave New England to find a new challenge in his NFL career. Instead, he was able to resign with New England for two more years at a total of $23 million. As for that new challenge, McCourty stated that he wants to help lead “this Patriots team into a new era and helping ensure that this next wave of players can continue our legacy and build on what we’ve already achieved as a franchise.”

One of the first orders of business for New England in their rebuild is finding Brady’s successor. When it comes to options currently on the roster, second-year quarterback Jarrett Stidham is an intriguing option who has already received high praise from McCourty.

Sunday’s matchup between the New England Patriots and the Kansas City Chiefs featured an abysmal performance by the home team’s offense, something that has become a bit of a trend in recent weeks. On their home turf at Gillette Stadium, the Patriots only managed to put up 16 points as they lost to the Chiefs 23-16.

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Offensive struggles have been a trend for the Patriots as of late: quarterback Tom Brady has been especially vocal about the lack of success of the New England offense.

“I mean, I think we’re just trying to figure out what works,” Brady said Sunday of the offense’s struggles in the second half of the season. “So, I think you have an idea and then you see how the game unfolds and then you’ve got to make some adjustments. So, we tried to make some adjustments there in the second half. They threw a lot of different defenses at us, some we handled pretty good, others we didn’t. It was a good game by them.”

After the Patriots’ first score, they went seven straight possessions without putting any points up on the board.

While the Pats’ offense has struggled mightily as of late, they have also shown the ability to put up large numbers at other points this season. However, heading into the playoffs, they will likely be hoping to up their production in a big way.

The Kansas City offense, while only posting 23 points of their own, really took hold of the game in the second quarter when they rattled off 17 straight points. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes finished with 283 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception, while Brady finished with 169, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception.

Many were quick to attribute the Patriots’ loss to poor officiating, especially in the third quarter when New England was “robbed” of an apparent touchdown. Devin McCourty forced a Travis Kelce fumble which was scooped up by Stephon Gilmore, however, the play was blown dead before he could reach the endzone.

“We hear a lot of stuff, what’s supposed to happen,” McCourty said, referencing the hope that officials will let plays develop before blowing them dead. “Once you get out there in the game, you hope it’s like that. But it wasn’t this time. In games, that’s going to come up. Calls you think should go your way don’t go your way. You’ve just got to play through it.”

The Patriots will look to get back on track next Sunday as they travel to Cincinnati to take on the 1-12 Bengals.

If you’ve ever watched the Patriots in the postseason, you’ve seen two key safeties throughout their second dynasty. And of course, you’ve seen the Pats in the playoffs. If not, you probably haven’t watched them at all.

Pats Safety Devin McCourty May Call It Quits

Those two safeties are Duron Harmon and Devin McCourty. Harmon, despite being an above average player, has always had a knack for batting down a pass at the end of a close game. And McCourty is such a skilled player that it seems that he’s in two places at once. But if you’ve thought that this year, you’re probably not wrong.

During the offseason, the Patriots acquired Devin’s twin brother, Jason, from the Cleveland Browns. Before that, he played for the Tennessee Titans. Now in his tenth NFL year, he’s playing in the playoffs for the first time. Devin, on the other hand, has never missed an AFC Conference game in his career.

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But the feel-good story might not end well for fans. The brothers might call it quits after this season. Jason will hit the market again after Super Bowl LIII and Devin has one more year left on his contract. After five Super Bowl appearances and three All-Pro teams, it’s hard to imagine he has anything left to prove.

“I don’t know for sure, man. But I do look at it — if we can win this game, winning with my brother, I don’t know what else I could do that could top that,” McCourty said at the interview podium on Super Bowl media opening night while being questioned by Deion Sanders. “So I’m just trying to make sure I enjoy this season and enjoy these last couple days with these guys.”

Devin is an eight-time captain for the Patriots. If they win, this means there’s a good chance the team is without a crucial piece of their success as well as another solid secondary member in Jason. At last year’s Super Bowl, coach Bill Belichick heaped praise on Devin. “There’s not many that do more behind the scenes than Devin does,” he said. “He’s an outstanding player and an even better person and better teammate. I couldn’t be prouder to coach a player than Devin McCourty.”

The two will take the field on Sunday at 6:30 p.m. EST against the Los Angeles Rams.

Linebacker Dont’a Hightower is now the third New England Patriots player, after safety Devin McCourty and tight end Martellus Bennett, to announce he’ll skip the team’s trip to the White House after winning Super Bowl LI on Sunday.

Dont’a Hightower, Devin McCourty and Martellus Bennett to Skip White House Visit

However, Hightower cited a different reason than his teammates did for choosing to miss the visit.

“Been there, done that,” the linebacker said when asked about his plans Wednesday on SportsCenter.

Hightower also skipped the Patriot’s visit to the White House in 2015. He had already made the trip in college after Alabama won the national championship.

Bennett was the first to announce he would miss the visit just moments after the Patriots’ big victory on Sunday, and McCourty followed suit shortly thereafter. Both cited the fact that they don’t support President Donald Trump as their main reason for not going to the White House, although neither explicitly mentioned Trump’s name in their comments.

“I’m not going to the White House,” McCourty told Time on Monday in a text message. “Basic reason for me is I don’t feel accepted in the White House. With the president having so many strong opinions and prejudices I believe certain people might feel accepted there while others won’t.”

McCourty added: “I can’t imagine a way I go there.”

President Trump has long admitted he’s friends with Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, head coach Bill Belichick, and owner Robert Kraft. Kraft recently explained that he’s close with Trump because of how compassionate the former real estate mogul and ‘”Apprentice” star was to Kraft when his wife died in 2011.

Unsurprisingly, Trump predicted the Patriots would beat the Falcons in Super Bowl LI.

Patriots running back James White, who set a Super Bowl record with 20 points scored– including the game-winning touchdown in overtime– is also reportedly deliberating on whether to make the trip.

“I’ll wait ’til the time comes and decide then,” White said on SiriusXM NFL Radio on Tuesday.

HOUSTON, TX – FEBRUARY 05: Dont’a Hightower #54 of the New England Patriots celebrates with Devin McCourty #32 after forcing a fumble from Matt Ryan #2 of the Atlanta Falcons during the fourth quarter of Super Bowl 51 at NRG Stadium on February 5, 2017 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)