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May 18 (UPI) -- New England Patriots captain Devin McCourty said he "didn't think twice" about Tom Brady's free agency this off-season. McCourty made the comment during an appearance on Sirius XM NFL Radio. McCourty was teammates with Brady from 2010 through 2019 before Brady opted to leave the team this off-season and sign with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
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Football fans speculated for months about where Brady would end up before he signed his two-year, $50 million contract with Tampa Bay. McCourty, 32, was also a free agent this off-season. He signed a two-year, $23 million contract with New England in March, a week before Brady signed his pact.
"I honestly didn't think twice about Tom Brady's free agency, because I was a free agent," McCourty said. "That was my main concern, where my family would end up. Would we be back in New England?
"Then when I signed my deal and I was back, you kind of think of all the guys: Tom, the Kyle Van Noys, the Jamie Collins'. All of those guys you had relationships with, Matthew Slater. That you kinda know, man, this could be it. That coulda been the last game I played with these guys. When he made a decision, to me it wasn't like the end of the world."
McCourty hasn't missed a start since the 2015 season. The two-time Pro Bowl selection had 58 tackles, seven passes defensed, five interceptions, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery in 2019. McCourty has won Super Bowls while with the Patriots. He joined the franchise as the No. 27 overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft.
"He was a free agent and when free agency hits, there's always a chance a guy could go to another team," McCourty said. "I'm happy for him."
