The New England Patriots’ defense lost its longest-tenured player Sunday when Rob Ninkovich announced his retirement in his ninth season with the team.
So, with Ninkovich retired, which Patriots players have been with the team the longest?
QB Tom Brady: 18th season
K Stephen Gostkowski: 12th season
WR Matthew Slater: 10th season
WR Julian Edelman: 9th season
SS Patrick Chung: 8th season
TE Rob Gronkowski: 8th season
FS Devin McCourty: 8th season
Ninkovich was entering his ninth season with the team. Chung and McCourty now are the longest-tenured defensive players on the Patriots. Chung was drafted in 2009, a year before McCourty, but spent the 2013 season away from New England with the Philadelphia Eagles prior to returning in 2014.
The Patriots have 21 players remaining from the Super Bowl XLIX and LI championship teams: Brady, Gostkowski, Slater, Edelman, Chung, Gostkowski, McCourty, DT Alan Branch, WR Danny Amendola, OT Marcus Cannon, OT Nate Solder, RB Brandon Bolden, SS Nate Ebner, LB Dont’a Hightower, P Ryan Allen, FB James Develin, FS Duron Harmon, CB Malcolm Butler, OT Cameron Fleming, QB Jimmy Garoppolo and RB James White.
Brady is the longest-tenured player in franchise history.
Thumbnail photo via Kevin Jairaj/USA TODAY Sports Images
