FOXBORO, Mass. — Devin McCourty is always there to make sure his New England Patriots teammates don’t get too full of themselves.
So, while everyone was worshipping Patriots quarterback Tom Brady on his 40th birthday Thursday, McCourty was there to remind everyone just how ancient Brady is compared to his NFL counterparts. McCourty threw in some compliments for good measure, though.
“It’s fun. It reminds you that Tom’s old. Very old,” McCourty said. “I think he has a lot of fun with it. A lot of guys sung ‘Happy Birthday’ in the locker room.
“But it’s also a reminder of how good he’s been — 40 years old, still our best player, most professional player, leader, guy everyone follows in the locker room. Even though it’s his birthday, and everyone has birthdays, it’s just a reminder in training camp, probably one of the toughest times of the year for us, to see a guy like that still continue at a high level and really take every day like he’s a rookie. It’s really a good example for guys here.”
It’s tough to make too much fun of a 12-time Pro Bowl selection, five-time Super Bowl champion, four-time Super Bowl MVP, four-time All-Pro and two-time NFL MVP, despite his age.
“He’s so much older than the rookies, there’s not much they can say,” McCourty said. “It’s like making fun of an uncle. You’ve got to be careful.”
Brady and McCourty were among a group that practiced away from their teammates, media and fans Thursday. Brady’s birthday served as a bit of a starter’s day off.
Thumbnail photo via Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports Images
