‘Make guys laugh and smile’: JMac brings the fun to Foxboro
Jason McCourty is closer to the end of his career than the beginning, and he’s appreciating playing football more than he ever has.
The 33-year-old cornerback, now in his 12th season in the league and third with the Patriots, isn’t pondering retirement, he said. In the midst of a strange season impacted by COVID-19, McCourty, one of the defensive captains, is trying to make things feel as normal as possible. That means cultivating a culture in which the team is looking forward to working every day.
“I’m playing football and I’m enjoying it,” McCourty said. “That’s the one thing guys in this locker room know about me. No matter what, I’m going to try to be fun, make guys laugh and enjoy all of these moments. I’m not thinking about when I’m going to stop playing. For me, right now, it’s just on a day in and day out, how can I come here and improve individually as a player and make the guys around me better? And just kind of make this a fun environment where we all want to come to work and want to improve.
“We enjoy being around each other. To me, those are some of the keys. A football season can get long. Our bye week this season was early, so we’re going straight through, so… just make sure you’re that sounding board for the younger guys and if anybody’s having a tough time, make guys laugh and smile and enjoy that we’re getting an opportunity to play football for a living.”
That fun factor is something that’s been emphasized with the arrival of Cam Newton, who quickly earned the adoration of his new teammates this season with his light-hearted approach. “You’ve just got to keep it fun,” the quarterback said earlier this year.
For McCourty, that enjoyment has made it that much better as he continues to play with his twin brother Devin, which he hasn’t taken for granted. It’s allowed him to savor the small moments, this season more than ever.
“The moment I got here, I think it gave me kind of a newfound appreciation, especially because when I got here that was Year 10 and the realization that I’m still playing and I’m getting a chance to do it with one of my best friends in the world,” Jason said. “There’s always those moments when you look back and say, ‘Wow, I didn’t think I’d be sitting here at this point in time.’ So there’s always an appreciation that you have on a day in and day out basis.”
Using their voices
Ahead of Election Day in November, the Patriots this week released a video featuring some players expressing the importance to vote. Ja’Whaun Bentley said there’s been excitement within the team to get out and make their voices heard.
“I think society today has definitely opened a lot of people’s eyes, myself included,” the linebacker said. “A lot of times in this day and age it’s a lot of people who are voting for the first time. Then seeing the situation that’s going on in our society, everybody is eager to get to the voting booths and we’re excited to gain more knowledge… locally and the general election. So we’re all excited about it.
“It’s a great topic of discussion and everybody’s taking action along with the discussions to take it to the next level and get into the voting booth and make great choices.”
Back in line
The Patriots’ offensive line — which was a mess in Sunday’s loss to the Broncos — is starting to get back in order with the return of center David Andrews to practice this week. The importance of a strong line isn’t lost on running back Damien Harris with a matchup against a tough San Francisco front seven on tap.
“You see those guys, it’s a bunch of dudes out there,” he said. “They’ve got a lot guys that can play a lot of different positions, a lot of guys that can play a high level of football, so having guys like that in front of us, definitely makes our jobs a lot easier. I’m definitely thankful for those guys. They work very hard. They bring everyone else along with them. I’m just thankful to have guys like that in front of me and guys I can run behind.”
Adopted Bruins fan
Stephon Gilmore was sporting a Bruins winter hat during his video press conference on Thursday, and the cornerback himself is a fan. Hockey wasn’t part of the culture in South Carolina when Gilmore was growing up, but he went to a Bruins game soon after he joined the Patriots and was hooked.
“I like the fights, to be honest,” Gilmore said. “The fights are pretty cool. I like those guys competing and getting very competitive on the ice.”
Injury roundup
James White missed his second consecutive practice Thursday due to a non-injury related reason. Center James Ferentz, who remains on the COVID-19/reserve list, and defensive tackle Carl Davis were also missing from Thursday’s practice.