Patriots safety Devin McCourty announces he's returning for the 2019 season

New England Patriots safety Devin McCourty says he wants to continuing playing in the NFL and will return for the 2019 season.

At Super Bowl Media Night in Atlanta, NFL Network’s Deion Sanders interviewed McCourty and asked him whether he might consider retirement. McCourty gave an open-ended answer.

“I don’t know for sure, man, but I do look at it if we can win this game, win it with my brother, I don’t know what else I could do that would top that,” McCourty said Jan. 28. “I’m just trying to make sure I enjoy this season, and enjoy these last couple days with these guys.”

In an interview this week with Sports Spectrum, McCourty said he wanted to return because of the platform that football provides for him.

“Yeah, I’m going to play … I think you just get so wrapped up in the season. At that point, that was media night when Deion said that to me. I was like, ‘Yeah man, if we win a Super Bowl, I don’t know what else can top that.’ And I think in that moment, I kind of forgot, I don’t play this game just to win Super Bowls. There’s so much more that comes from me playing the game that I love. I think once you get a chance to step away for a couple of weeks now, you’re like, ‘Yeah man, I still do want to be around these other young guys that come in.’”

Earlier this month, Devin and his brother, Jason, became the first set of twins to play and win a Super Bowl, helping the Patriots defeat the Rams, 13-3, and win Super Bowl LIII. Next week, they will continue to use the platform they’ve been given as they head to Puerto Rico with their family to help lead a football camp for kids.

“Me playing football is doing something more than just winning games and playing Super Bowls. If you play this game only for Super Bowls, you’re going to be very empty. I love being able to just step away — being down here this week and then next week going to do a football camp in Puerto Rico with the family, it really starts to make you realize the platform you get to use to do some special things.”

Devin is under contract for one more season after signing a five-year deal back in March 2015. The two-time Pro Bowler has played in five career Super Bowls, winning three.

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