Maybe I'm going a little stir-crazy like the rest of you during this pandemic. Maybe I've been watching too many movies in the quiet, personal nighttime moments with the kids.
But when I read Devin McCourty's terrific The Players Tribune personal essay (Is there anything this guy can't do? Makes us professional writers look like chumps — but a great showcase for that phenomenal Rutgers education!) on life for the New England Patriots after Tom Brady, I couldn't help but think of the ending to The Dark Knight.
“Because he's the hero Gotham deserves, but not the one it needs right now. So we'll hunt him. Because he can take it. Because he's not our hero. He's a silent guardian, a watchful protector. A dark knight.”
If you haven't read the essay yet, you most definitely should.
These are the parts that stood out to me, and then I'll explain why I think we'll see a different McCourty — to the public and the media, not to his teammates — this season, and why that DMac could be The Dark Knight for this team.
"...it’s kind of ironic because I’m also getting the other thing I wanted — something I thought I’d have to leave New England to find.
A new challenge."
"To them, like a lot of people, that’s what New England stands for.
Winning.
That’s the Patriot Way, right?
But what people don’t understand about New England is that it’s not just about winning. It’s about everything else, too. It’s about the work. It’s about being better men."
"When it comes to staying in New England, it’s not just me and my brother and our family. It’s about our extended family, too.
Our Patriots family.
From the fans, to the people in the community we work with trying to make an impact in people’s lives, to everybody up and down the organization … these last 10 years have been incredible. ... it’s an honor to hopefully be able to finish my career here and be a Patriot for life."
"People are going to say that because Tom’s gone, the dynasty is over. They’re already burying us, far as I can tell. And that’s fine. Let ’em. We’ve never listened to the noise, and we’re not about to start now. But the task is definitely taller this coming year than it has been in years past. There’s more work to do. And it’s not gonna be so easy this time around.
That’s where the new challenge comes in.
I thought I had to leave New England to find what I was looking for. But it turns out that there is no greater challenge for me right now than leading 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.
That’s what I’m most excited about moving forward."
out there
Brian Flores
Matt Patricia
Joe
Judge
Bill
Belichick
and
Patriots bring back Shilique Calhoun
Chase
Winovich
Kyle Van Noy
