Veteran NFL safety Devin McCourty was taking questions during a routine press conference Monday before the New England Patriots game against the Buffalo Bills on Thursday night when he was interrupted by owner Robert Kraft.
Kraft’s unusual appearance apparently caught McCourty off guardbut the former owner had another surprise for the three-time Super Bowl champion.
“We don’t normally give personal accolades to anyone, but special achievements by special people deserve special recognition,” Kraft began. “Every game he’s appeared in has been a starter for the last 13 years, so I want to be the first to congratulate them and we want to commemorate this achievement.”
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Thursday will mark McCourty’s 200th game as a starter, making him the 90th player in the nfl to do so and only the third player in franchise history.
“We have a collage made up of 200 photos from games throughout Devin’s career,” Kraft said, presenting McCourty with the framed gift.
The Patriots also put together a video montage of messages from McCourty’s family and friends congratulating him on the monumental achievement.
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“I didn’t expect that at all. I came here as a cub and the achievements didn’t matter – individual escorts – but it’s been a great ride and I’m enjoying every moment of it,” McCourty said.
Head coach Bill Belichick also praised McCourty’s accomplishment, calling him “a great asset to this organization and to me personally.”
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“He trains hard. He works very hard. It’s not by accident. He puts in a lot of time, he trains a lot, he’s in top condition all the time.”
McCourty is looking forward to his 200th career start, but added that “what would be great for a 200th game is a win.”