NBC Sports’ Devin McCourty Talks Drake Maye, Belichick & More with Rich Eisen | Full Interview

joining us here on the Rich Eisen show three-time Super Bowl champion uh also of NBC Sports Deon McCord here on the Rich Eisen show good to see you Deon how are you what's happening I'm coming in on some like really lofty goals like this was intense I came in sub 5940 score points on Champions and Tennis like yes big goals Rich Devon I don't need to tell you the power of speaking things into existence do I I don't have to do that I'm all for it I'm all one of Jersey come on you understand Jersey and then and then my gosh you got the whole am Trak corridor from New Jersey all the way up to Boston it's it's mcville you know what I'm saying plenty of times on that damn track I'm sure you me too as a Staten Island uh as a Staten Island resident for for 21 years hey um Devin let's just jump right into this here I don't know if you heard jod Mayo talked today about the quarterback situation in New England um and now that it's jacobe Brett's gig to start but Drake May if he balls out has a shot what are your two cents on the subject matter there dein yeah it it was to be expected for me you know I spent some time up there in the spring you know visiting a little bit and I think I think the organization just feels like jacobe a GU brought in for a reason they signed him they expected him to go out there and play and I think they feel like they don't just have a guy that can play right now but they have a great mentor a leader in the locker room so I think they want Drake May to come in and not feel that pressure just to learn from jacobe Jacob's obviously come to New England and played under Brady and learned from him so uh it's cool to see those roles where he can now play The MENTOR um but I I expect Drake May to come in and just learning and as that process starts to you know really come intact for him and he can develop um maybe there's a time they put him in and they go with him but I think uh going into the season they feel like Jacob's a guy that can get them I think moving in a Direction they want to move overall as an organization which is just not have the bottom Fallout against a very difficult schedule coming off of one of the worst seasons um certainly in recent memory uh in New England with a kid that you don't want to throw in too early I I understand that that's the general sense of it but I I don't I don't know if this is overreaction or not but we got a glimpse of Drake May's at least neck up ability in the Hard Knock series with the Giants and the Giants put him on their grease board prior to the draft what's your sense of Drake May's ability to succeed uh I think high and I think what's interesting right now was there's this big intense love for him right now not just from the front office and you know the people in the building from the players and I think that is something over the last few years since Brady has left has been a little bit of a roller coaster with Cam coming in and I think right away cam W over the locker room and guys went out there and played and that was one year and done and then Matt comes in and he plays as a rookie and you know we won 10 games uh the year that uh my second to last year I was there and it's like oh man things are looking great and then you kind of saw at the end of that with Mack with the team the locker room everything just kind of fell apart and I think Drake may now comes in to fill the future void that they had there a guy that everyone can believe in a guy that the organization can say hey this is our guy he's going to lead us he's going to be the front runner he's going to be in front of everybody um and I think the biggest part of that is a guy's in the locker room truly believe in that so I think he's developing that I think he's already gotten that with some of those young receivers uh with pulk and Baker staying after practice throwing the ball getting used to each other I think the more he's out there in training camp those veteran those older guys will see it they'll buy into it they'll believe in him and I think that will be the process for him but I I believe I think he could be a really good player um I thought it was really cool seeing him with Brian dable with the Giants in there doing all of that work reciting things knowing it um and I think that's exciting and I would be interested to see you know when he takes the field how that goes but uh I think the future's bright and I think new englanders should be happy but I think they have to be patient for all of this to come to fruition what did you glean from that Hard Knocks lookie uh with Drake May what did you take away from that I get excited because I think that's the hardest part of playing quarterback I think nowadays you see so many quarterbacks that have this unbelievable Talent whether it's being able to run whether it's having this great armed talent that you know every week we hear people on TV talk about different guys and their great arm talent but like what does that actually mean it doesn't mean anything until you can go into a huddle or sit in front of a board or get on the field and deliver in two minute situations or on third down over and over again and the part of that is understanding what the defense is giving you and then knowing what you can get into and what you have to get out of as a quarterback I always remember Brady always talking about that his true gift was being dual threat and it wasn't being dual threat as a runner but it was being dual threat of not getting not putting the offense in bad plays putting the offense in plays to win to allow other players abilities to take over and make plays and I think when you watch Drake may do that as a young guy coming into the league and being able to do that and process things pretty fast you get excited you see that and you're like all right that's what I want my quarterback to have yeah I want him to have those other AC rutes but you know your brain and how you can operate and how you can see things and adjust and move quickly I think that's what the NFL is truly about and you've seen when you watch guys like momes or watch guys like Lamar Jackson as they've gotten better at that it's just been Skies of limit and it's always impressive watching those guys week in and week out Devon mccordi 13-year veteran three-time Super Bowl champion with the Patriots right here on the Rich Eisen show also NBC Sports the other parts of the comments that really stood out to me with Gerard Mayo talking about Drake May in the quarterback room was a New England Patriots head coach was asked a direct question about a thought process on a roster decision and we got an answer Devin like we got a detailed answer you know what I'm saying Dev what we're I I know exactly what you mean I think it's what's up those media people in New England they don't they don't know how to really react I think I think they're just like he's answering questions let's just ask more and more questions Mayo he has been very open in discussing things and been I think at sometimes like brutally honest and maybe too honest for the liking of some of the people in the building but um I think he's Paving his own path he's not trying to be like Bill he's not trying to be like anybody he's just being himself and I think I think the players will see that and they'll really want to play for him they want to really buy into what he's bringing um that's the kind of guy he's been you know when I share the locker room with him as a player then as a coach he's been very open he's been just a straight shooter and tell you exactly how it is and I think guys will respect that and you know I think he'll still manage and learn you know the things he wants to say and doesn't want to say and I think he'll be calculating I think he does a little bit of that already so I'm excited to see you know he's obviously a good friend of mine so I'm excited to see him just perform this year as the head coach and and kind of really take over those Reigns and really get comfortable in that position yeah your first year in the pros was his third and then you played six seasons with him and then obviously he was on the coaching staff in New England until you you retired so what's your best guess on what's going to be his biggest difference what's going to be the biggest difference between him and bich this year here dein yeah I think for this team right now I think what'll be his opportunity to really relate and try to push these guys in a direction that I don't necessarily think we'll see the results maybe right away or all the time but I think his ability to really get these guys to understand we have to get better day by day week by week and we have to progress to something down the line I think will be his kind of selling point I think the difference is when you you get to New England you play under a guy like Bill bich there is no progressing to possibly be good next year like when Bill bich is your head coach it's all about how do we win as many games this year and have a chance to win a championship because that's that's what he that's what his Aura is that's everything he's about it's what he's established in this league so I think I think with gerro and his ability to really get to know these players and you know a lot of these players are already there under him especially on the defensive side they already know him they know how he operates so I think he'll get this team team to really see the future and I I think it it very similar to Arizona with John genon last year like yeah they didn't win a lot of games but when you watch that team play each week they were out there playing their butts off they were looking better they had some big upsets you talk about Dallas and Pittsburgh some big wins in the season even though the season didn't work out the way that they wanted to I I know they're excited going into 2024 because of what they established the year before and I think Mayo will try to have that same type of energy attitude with this team this year what do you think Bill does in 2025 after a year in the paparazzi Devin what do you think do you think he coaches or or or we're about to see a belich cheek's uh final act as a member of the media what do you think yeah I I think he takes a break from you know his his dazzling media career next year and gets back on the sideline and you know we'll have to see how far gone he is in the media if he can remember some of those attributes of being a head coach like not answering questions and doing things the right way what's best for the team instead of what's best for his media career we'll see if he can adjust to that next year but I'll be excited to see him back on the sidelines in 2025 I I really think that'll happen you think that that he's he's just doing this this year uh because of you know the opportunities that didn't come his way for whatever reason and he'll get he'll get back to coaching in 2025 you think I think so I think I think he was kind of intrigued by the media stuff I think he he saw former players get into it I think you know being you know all these games on Sunday and sitting in production meetings and you know you got Tony Romo in there then you got Matt Ryan you got all these guys you've you know drawn up these you know crazy game plans to try to take them away and then you see them and do media I think he asked questions he saw it so I think he's GNA have this year to really see what it's like for you know if he comes back for a year two years three years a coach whatever that is he can then say like okay I know I want to do this Med or it was great for a year and now I'm just going to go and sit on a beach somewhere I think he'll be able to really know that but you know I think for this season it'll be funny seeing him on TV especially as much as it looks like we'll see him and then just for me hearing all the things he's going to say you know watching the draft this year was like sitting in a team meeting where you know he show you maybe 20 seconds of your good plays and then the rest of the meeting would be all the stuff you need to work on that's exactly how it felt watching the draft and that was that was being a New England Patriot for 13 years that that was that summed it up in what 20 minutes 30 minutes of him doing those first few picks in the first round Devon McCord here on the Rich Eisen show couple uh left for you here sir um let's go more macro here um football night America you're going to be on the air uh in Kansas City Ravens versus Chiefs first Thursday night of the season a three repeat opportunity on the table last time we saw that was prior to you joining the Patriots by the Patriots and we all know they made the division round that year and that was about it so I ask you this standing in the P the chief's way of going three in a row The Entity that can prevent it the most is them own their own selves or another team Devin uh no I think there's plenty of teams that will give them a run for their money this year I think I think when you look at the AFC North whoever comes out of there uh I think that's going to be probably the best division in football this year um and then obviously I think you know they're opening with Baltimore so you have them and then whatever happens I think with Buffalo this year I think they have shown to be a Suitor to give a problem um to Kansas City have had you know some tough games Kanas City usually comes out on tops I don't know if the pro saying a problem is the exact word and then I look at Houston a team that showed a lot of Promise last year uh second year for CJ stra you add Stefon Diggs uh you add Joe Mixon you add denil Hunter so you add different pieces and make this team even better uh I think we'll give the Chiefs a run for the money I don't think they'll get in their own way I think this team knows how to win they know how to you know start a certain way but get better throughout the season and always keep their eye on the last game on the playoffs I think they're always focused on getting to that point so I think they'll do that but they'll have to knock off some of these teams that are coming for him everybody's gunning for him nobody you know nobody else in the NFL wants to see a 3p other than Kansas City in their fan base so uh it'll be a tough test but I think I think they have a they have a great team and and what they've been able to establish you're going to have to really go knock them off they're not going to lose on their own so then let me parse it this way uh the team that stands in their way the best in the AFC or the NFC uh I think I think it's the AFC right now and if I had to pick a team going into the season I start right with the opener I think Baltimore I think they fell short last year in that AFC Championship Game you know you add Derk Henry you come back this year and you say this is what it's all about you want to start the season off strong with the team that you know you have to beat and I think they're going to look at it this season will all determine if we're able to beat this team a second time some point down the stretch if they could get it done open t night all right last one for you Deon mccordi Before I Let You Go did you see the Brady roast I did I did see the Brady roast okay and what was your impression of the Tom Brady greatest roast of all time Devon mccy I mean it was it was hilarious I didn't I didn't know they were going to that length I expected a lot out of Edelman and he delivered um but I have to say that the Comedians and I would say drew blo okay uh has been has been a a pleasant surprise Drew blo even had a moment at the uh Brady Patriot Hall of Fame induction where he went up there and he killed it again so um hats off to Drew blet so he's he's a moment in time right now where he's crushing it well I gotta be honest with you though Devin I I was at the Brady roast that night and then I watched the Tom Brady Patriots Hall of Fame induction ceremony a few weeks later and to be honest with you I thought the Brady Hall of Fame induction ceremony went so without awkwardness or incident because of the Brady roast to be serious with you that whatever the Brady roast was kind of like a therapy session like let's get it all out in the safe space of you can say whatever you want CU it's a roast and that set up the Brady induction ceremony in New England to be far more without anybody questioning well who wants to be there and who doesn't really want to be there and what does that mean what doesn't it mean that was removed by the roast what do you think about that Devin that's definitely a possibility because that induction turned into like this huge reunion of guys you know obviously Tom played for so long the guys that played you know really in that first kind of era in New England that he was with and then the guys from the second era was just like this huge reunion for two or three days where everybody was together laughing joking uh having a great time so um that that might have been a part of it and I think guys just having the opportunity to get back together I thought it was an awesome experience just so much love and I think the roast did take away some of probably the hardcore jokes that guys would have had uh during that induction that you know guys were like all right that's already been said and done uh and you know I think Tom got the praise and uh a lot of the credit honor that he deserved that night all right and so which which joke from The Brady roast is the one that you can't believe one Patriot said to the other Devon uh which is that one well I I I think I think you have to look back at highsight now when you gotta go with grun talking about uh the age of women uh that you know him and belich or whoever it was are going for I think you know you look back at that now you have to say that had to be the one joke that you never would have imagined uh somebody going with you know I had to pick it would have been grunk going a little too far what was the one Brady talking about the ring the uh the ring camera video so was that that one again it's tough to talk about roast jokes outside of the safe space the roast where just becomes totally inappropriate when you and I are having a conversation about it like seven weeks later now you know but uh that in in all honesty like I thought that just got a lot out there and totally removed any of that stuff from a well-deserved night for the organization the crafts bich Brady everybody that came back that was totally removed from that night um and made it even more special to be honest with you so basically anybody if you're having a tough time be going through stuff just do a roast yeah get it over with be therapeutic skip all the therapy sessions just do a roast that's right hire Nicki Glazer or Tony Hinchcliffe and uh and then see and then just roll the dice and see what what happens ready to go yeah exactly hey Devon it's great to see you on this screen also on NBC's let's do this more often appreciate it sounds good appreciate you having me you got it that's three-time Super Bowl champion Devon McCord football night in America right around the corner for the opener of the season in Kansas City and then they're going to be in Brazil and then Detroit what a big first week on NBC for the NFL right here on the Rich Eisen show that's Deon mccordi catch the rich eyes and show every single day on the Roku Channel 12 to 3 Eastern for free