Devin McCourty Bringing Tom Brady and Mac Jones Together is the Stuff Dreams are Made Of
OK, Old Balls. Stay calm. Focus on your breathing. Deep inhale. Slow exhale. Wave your hands around to get the blood flowing. Think of a calm, clear ocean as you slowly get your heart rate down. Annnddd ... begin ...
You'll have to forgive my calming exercise. It's not every quiet day on a holiday week in the summer when you experience this level of wish fulfillment. All my dreams coming true and fitting inside the frame of a single photo.
As far as anyone can say, the last time Tom Brady and the man who's filling the GOAT-shaped hole in my heart Mac Jones were in each other's presence, it was the fourth game of Jones' career. My emotional Chernobyl. GOATerdammerung. Sunday Night Football, at Gillette. And with the weight of the world on his rookie shoulders, Jones was the better quarterback that night.
Only Nick Folk coming up short on a long field goal attempt at the end kept the night from being a total success and one of the biggest regular season wins in franchise history.
But there's only so much interaction two players can have during the postgame handshakes after an emotional loss. What I've hoped for - make that needed - ever since, Devin McCourty has made real. He's brought together the legend and the legend-in-waiting. The once and future kings.
And what could be better for Patriots fans? What better connecton could we hope for? Two cerebral quarterbacks who were doubted by most for their lack of athletic traits. Who went to major college programs and had to fight to get their shot against seemingly more gifted teammates. But who, when they finally got their shot, made the most of it. Only to see other quarterbacks get taken ahead of them. (The Brady 6 and the Jones 4). Yet they were brought to Foxboro. Forged in the same fire. Molded and sharpened by the same firm but gentle hands. Tutored by the same wise wizard of the game. Trained in the same system. And now both once again speaking the same offensive language they learned under Charlie Weis and Josh McDaniels, respectively.
This relationship can't be anything but a positive for a young QB who was suddenly denounced by the great unwashed masses after being dealt a bad coaching hand in his second year. Brady knows more than anyone about what it takes to overcome unjustified scorn and ridicule by an ignorant public and win the ingrates back over to your side.
And just from a more practical standpoint, who better to discuss the subtleties of Bill O'Brien's play calling? Hoss X-Follow. How to read the Will isn't coming so you can Rita to sort his empty protection to the right. How to know if your inside receiver's Win route will be a Seam Read (split safeties) a Seam (post safety zone) or a Chop route (post safety man). Just as two new best friends, bonded by the common experience few others in the world can relate to. All that stored knowledge and general awesomeness cannot help but rub off on the younger QB and make him better than he would be without it. It simply cannot help but to.
As for McCourty, now's as good a time as any to remind everyone that years ago I declared him to be the second best Patriots player of the Dynasty era. For his play, his durability, his special teams and above all, his leadership. Him bringing Brady and Jones together cements his legacy. And by "cements," I mean it makes him worthy of a statue. After all, it's not every day that a recently retired team captain and member of the exclusive 3-Ring Club makes your dream come true. Devin McCourty is granting wishes. He's my Fairy Godsafety. And we'll have future Super Bowl banners to thank for his efforts.
P.S. The photos of his family having summer fun are great too. Happy retirement. But D-Mac knows the work of making this team a champion again never ends.