We take a look back at Devin McCourty's 2016 season and offer our predictions for 2017.
2016 Honors & Awards:Pro Bowl (3rd), Team Co-Captain (6th), Pro Football Focus All-Pro: Second Team.
2016 Regular Season Stats: 78 total tackles, one interception, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and seven passes defensed in 16 games played.
A defensive co-captain for the sixth consecutive season, Devin McCourty led the Patriots defense to allow the fewest points in the league in 2016, and the fewest points allowed in a single season since the Seattle Seahawks in 2012:
- Forced a fumble in the fourth quarter of the regular season finale at Miami that Shea McClellin returned 69 yards to mark the longest fumble recovery in team history.
- Picked off a Houston pass in the third quarter of the Divisional Playoff victory for his second career postseason interception.
- His 78 total tackles in 2016 were the most McCourty has registered in a season since 2012 when he recorded 79.
- McCourty has had at least one interception in each year of his NFL career and continued that streak in 2016 when he picked off Joe Flacco in the Patriots Week 14 victory over Baltimore.
- Started in every game he appeared in.
Check out the best photos of Patriots defensive back Devin McCourty from the 2016 NFL season.
New England Patriots free safety Devin McCourty (32) in coverage during an NFL Super Bowl LI football game against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, Feb. 5, 2017 in Houston. New England won Super Bowl LI 34-28 in overtime. New England won Super Bowl LI 34-28 in overtime.
(Tom DiPace via AP)
New England Patriots safety Devin McCourty (32) leads the defenseive backs in a pregame rally prior to the NFL week 10 football game against the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, Nov. 13, 2016 in Foxboro, Mass. The Seahawks defeated the Patriots 31-24. (Jim Mahoney via AP)
New England Patriots safety Devin McCourty (32) drops into coverage in action against the New York Jets Sunday November 27, 2016 in East Rutherford, N.J. (Damian Strohmeyer via AP)
New England Patriots free safety Devin McCourty (32) intercepts a pass intended for Houston Texans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins (10) in the second half, Saturday, Jan. 14, 2017 in Foxborough, Mass. The New England Patriots won 34-16. (Logan Bowles via AP Images)
New England Patriots Devin McCourty (32) during a game against the Miami Dolphins, Sunday, Jan. 1, 2017, in Miami Gardens, Fla.
(Tom DiPace via AP)
New England Patriots safety Devin McCourty (32) lines up into the secondary during an NFL Super Bowl 51 football game against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, Feb. 5, 2017, in Houston, TX. The Patriots defeated the Falcons 34-28 in overtime. (Kevin Terrell via AP)
New England Patriots defensive back Devin McCourty (32) celebrates his interception with Rob Ninkovich, left, and Malcolm Butler, rear, during the second half of an NFL divisional playoff football game against the Houston Texans, Saturday, Jan. 14, 2017, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
New England Patriots free safety Devin McCourty (32) celebrates after an NFL Super Bowl LI football game against the Atlanta Falcons at NRG Stadium, Sunday, Feb. 5, 2017 in Houston. The Patriots defeated the Falcons 34-28 in overtime. (Perry Knotts via AP)
New England Patriots safety Devin McCourty (32) drops into coverage in action against the New York Jets Sunday December 24, 2016 in Foxboro, Mass (Damian Strohmeyer via AP)
New England Patriots free safety Devin McCourty (32) in coverage during to an NFL AFC divisional playoff football game against the Houston Texans on Saturday, Jan. 14, 2017, in Foxborough, Mass. New England won 34-16. (Aaron M. Sprecher via AP)
New England Patriots defensive back Devin McCourty (32) makes a tackle during an NFL game against Arizona Cardinals running back Andre Ellington (38) on Sunday, Sept. 11, 2016, in Glendale, Az. The Patriots won the game, 23-21. (Greg Trott via AP)
New England Patriots free safety Devin McCourty (32) in coverage during an NFL Super Bowl LI football game against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, Feb. 5, 2017 in Houston. New England won Super Bowl LI 34-28 in overtime. (Aaron M. Sprecher via AP)
New England Patriots safety Devin McCourty (32) celebrates his interception with teammate Brandon Bolden (38) in action against the Baltimore Ravens Monday December 12, 2016 in Foxboro, Mass (Damian Strohmeyer via AP)
New England Patriots safety Devin McCourty (32) intercepts a pass intended for Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Mike Wallace (17) in action Monday December 12, 2016 in Foxboro, Mass (Damian Strohmeyer via AP)
New England Patriots defensive back Devin McCourty (32) tackles New York Jets running back Bilal Powell (29) during the first half of an NFL football game, Saturday, Dec. 24, 2016, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
New England Patriots defensive back Devin McCourty (32) breaks up a pass in the end zone intended for Houston Texans tight end C.J. Fiedorowicz (87) during the first half of an NFL divisional playoff football game, Saturday, Jan. 14, 2017, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
New England Patriots defensive back Devin McCourty (#32) and New England Patriots defensive back Duron Harmon (#30) celebrate during the post game ceremony for Super Bowl LI after theNew England Patriots defeated the Atlanta Falcons 34-28 in overtime held at the NRG Stadium on February 5, 2017 in Houston, TX. (Photo by Anthony Behar) * Please Use Credit from Credit Field*(Sipa via AP Images)
Belichick on McCourty: "Devin [McCourty]'s very smart. He has great awareness of the entire concept of the defense, what the defense is designed to do, what its strengths are, what its taking away, where we're weak, how to compensate for that. Sometimes we have checks that will get us out of situations that we feel vulnerable in, certain calls. He's responsible for a lot of that. His leadership, his on-the-field play, his toughness, he's done whatever we've asked him to do, whether it's return kickoffs, or cover kicks, or block the gunners on the punt return team, or rush field goals, or whatever it is. He's been not only a dependable player but a good player for us in all of those different areas and, as I said, he gives us great communication and great leadership on and off the field."
McCourty in 2017:McCourty is the glue of the defense and will continue to be used in a variety of roles. His ability to perform in the deep middle, cover tight ends, provide run support and keep the communication open in the secondary makes him one of the most valuable members of the defense.
