Inseparable friends face prospect of retirement

Bond runs very deep for McCourty, Slater

Before Sunday’s Patriots-Bills game, Devin McCourty FaceTimed his 5-yearold daughter, Londyn, from one of the training rooms at Highmark Stadium. When Matthew Slater came over to say hello, McCourty asked a question even though he already knew the answer: “Londyn, do you know who that is?” She replied, “Yeah, that’s Jeremiah, Hannah, and Noah’s dad.”

The relationship between McCourty and Slater extends far beyond football. Their children are friends. So are their wives, Michelle and Shahrzad. They consider each other family.

Over their 13 years together in New England, McCourty and Slater have become not only cornerstones of the Patriots organization but, in their words, brothers. Now, as retirement inches closer for the longtime captains, who are scheduled to become unrestricted free agents this offseason, their futures remain intertwined.

If McCourty decides to call it a career, chances are Slater will, too. And vice versa.

“We really can’t imagine playing without the other one,” McCourty said. “It’s just not normal to have a teammate for that long. For 13 years.”

Last offseason, facing similar circumstances, McCourty and Slater consulted each other before deciding to sign one-year deals to return. Slater joked at the time he wasn’t going to come back unless McCourty planned to do the same.

Almost a year later, he reiterated that sentiment with a much more serious tone.

“I didn’t want to play without him,” Slater said. “I couldn’t imagine doing it without him. And I needed my guy this year.”

Neither player wanted to address their future immediately after Sunday’s regular-season finale, saying it would be wrong to focus on their personal situations over the team’s. Sometime soon, though, they’ll undoubtedly have a conversation akin to the one they did last March.

Only this time, the final decision might be different.

Should McCourty and Slater decide to walk away, the loss obviously would be significant.

“What those two guys have done, what they mean to this organization, what they mean to me personally, what they’ve done here, it’s pretty impressive, pretty elite,” said coach Bill Belichick.

Even at this late stage in their careers, the pair have remained incredibly productive on the field.

At 35, McCourty registered the most defensive snaps for the Patriots this season. He’s the closest player to an iron man, having missed just five games over his 13-year career.

According to Belichick, any change or adjustment in coverage always runs through McCourty. The coach lauded his communication, preparation, and football IQ.

“It’s like truly having a coach on the field, having somebody that can see a problem, fix it — or at least take us out of a problem — because of whatever, a late substitution, the formation, whatever it happens to be,” Belichick said. “He’s got great judgment and great decision-making. His decisions are quick, they’re decisive, and they’re almost always right. Any decision is a bad decision if you’re hesitant and everybody doesn’t get it.”

Slater, meanwhile, has missed just 19 games over his 15-year career. At 37, he played the most special teams snaps for the Patriots this season. As Belichick noted, Slater still gets double-teamed on “virtually every coverage play, with very few exceptions.

“Every week, he’s had the bullet on his back for years and years and years,” Belichick said. “When you get that kind of attention and you’re still able to be productive, that tends to put those players on a very elite level.”

The on-field contributions, however, are just the beginning when it comes to capturing McCourty and Slater’s impact. Their presence in the locker room is immeasurable.

The two are often the ones to address the media during difficult and emotional times, providing thoughtful and insightful responses. In 2017, they answered questions about the decision to take a knee during the national anthem. Throughout the 2020 season, they answered questions about the challenges of playing amid the coronavirus pandemic. They regularly speak out against racial injustice, penning op-eds, visiting municipal courts, and testifying at the Massachusetts State House.

While the Patriots navigate the pains of the post-Tom Brady era, McCourty and Slater have done their best to maintain that famed “Do Your Job” culture. Rookies and other young players have repeatedly cited McCourty and Slater as role models. Center David Andrews, a fellow captain, broke down in tears when asked after Sunday’s game what the pair has meant to him over his career.

McCourty and Slater will be the first to tell you that their personalities are quite different, with McCourty carrying a bit more bravado and Slater staying more reserved. It makes sense that McCourty is known for his fiery pregame speeches, while Slater is often the one to lead the team in a postgame huddle ahead of a “Victory Monday.”

“At times, I think we both bring out different sides of each other,” McCourty said. “And I think that’s the coolest thing. For me, obviously having a twin brother, to have that dynamic with another teammate. I feel a very similar relationship that I have with [Jason] when I’m with Slate.”

No matter where McCourty and Slater ended up playing, they would have established themselves as consummate leaders and professionals. The fact that they were able to do so together — and forge such a close bond over the past decade-plus — makes their relationship all the more special.

“To just think about my career, and to think that people will always mention Matthew Slater and then say my name right after, for me, it’s just an unbelievable honor,” McCourty said. “Who he is on and off the field, for people to even put my name in the same sentence as him is an honor.”

Added Slater, wiping away tears, “Devin is a special person. He’s impacted my life in a lot of ways. I’m just thankful for him. I wouldn’t be who I am without him. I believe that.”

Even if this year was their last together in Foxborough, they know their relationship will continue.

“I don’t know what the future holds for either one of us,” Slater said. “But no matter what happens in life, I know I can go to him and he’ll be there for me.”