The Patriots not only embrace excellence on the field, but also off the field. We hear various stories about Patriots players doing great things for the New England community. For the second consecutive year, Patriots safety Devin McCourty has been nominated by the NFL Players Association for the Byron “Whizzer” White award, which recognizes players for going above and beyond in their service to the community. Devin’s twin brother Jason was also nominated for the award by the NFLPA.
The McCourty twins partnered with the Sickle Cell foundation back in 2013, raising money to raise awareness and help fight against the disease. The sickle cell trait affects approximately 100,000 Americans according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, including 1 in 365 new African-American births. The McCourtys have hosted multiple blood drives and fundraising events to increase awareness and blood donors to combat the effects of the sickle cell trait.
While it doesn’t matter who ultimately wins the award because the honor of being nominated for a prestigious award is worth a lot. Devin McCourty has been a great leader on the team and a role model in the community since the Patriots drafted him in the first round of the 2010 draft.