For Devin McCourty, Super Bowl LX feels like a full-circle moment that even Hollywood couldn’t have scripted. Eleven years after he hoisted the Lombardi Trophy following a heart-pounding victory over the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XLIX, the three-time champion is returning to the game with a microphone in his hand.

Now a staple of NBC’s "Football Night in America," pregame show, McCourty is preparing to cover his former team as they face a familiar foe in the Seahawks. For a man who spent 13 seasons patrolling the secondary in Foxborough, the transition from the grass to the studio has been a whirlwind, but one he has embraced with the same poise he once used to bait opposing quarterbacks.

"This is a special moment," McCourty said. "Super Bowl LX, my first time being on TV in the pregame for a Super Bowl. I’m hyped up right now."

The matchup inevitably stirs memories of 2015, a game widely considered an instant classic. McCourty recalls the intensity of facing Seattle’s "Legion of Boom" defense and the chess match between two generational rosters. While the world remembers Malcolm Butler jumping the route on the goal line to secure the 28-24 victory, McCourty remembers the preparation and the brotherhood that defined that era. It wasn't just about the physical toll of the game; it was about the mental fortitude required to outlast a team that felt destined for a repeat.

McCourty recently took a trip down memory lane, catching up with the man who made that historic interception. "I got to actually catch up with Malcolm Butler, and he’ll be a part of our pregame show," McCourty shared. "I told him right away, ‘You’re going to be remembered forever because of one play.’ I was in my fifth year, and he was the young guy I wanted so much for. To see him turn into a Pro Bowl corner and have a storybook ending was really cool."

Butler, an undrafted rookie at the time, was the sixth cornerback in a room that featured stars like Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner. For McCourty, also a veteran member of that defensive backs unit, seeing a young guy rise to the occasion remains one of his favorite memories of the Patriots' dynastic run. It is a lesson he now carries into his broadcasting career: everyone has a story, and sometimes the biggest plays come from the most unexpected places.

McCourty sees striking similarities between the 2015 Seahawks and the squad led by head coach Mike Macdonald today. He points to the defensive secondary, specifically playmakers like Devon Witherspoon and Tariq Woolen, as the modern iteration of the defense he faced over a decade ago.

"Their defense, especially when you look at them, is just playmakers and guys that are dogs everywhere," McCourty said, noting the talent of Julian Love and Kobe Bryant alongside the star corners. "And then you mix that with Mike Macdonald, who’s a mastermind of these zone blitzes and simulated pressures. It’s a team that has earned the right to be there."

On the New England side, the veteran safety credits Mike Vrabel for the franchise's rapid turnaround. The Patriots went from a dismal 4-13 season to a Super Bowl berth in one season. 

As for his own journey, McCourty admits that his seat on the NBC set wasn't always the plan. When he graduated from Rutgers, he was just a kid excited to play for a winning organization. "When I got drafted, I was like, ‘I'm going to the Patriots, baby. We're about to win some Super Bowls. That's what they do.’"

The reality was even better than the dream. McCourty played in the Super Bowl or AFC Championship game in eight of his first 10 years. However, the "Patriots Way" often meant that the grind never stopped.

"The only hard thing about that is we had some special seasons that you didn't care about because you didn't win the Super Bowl," McCourty reflected. "And that's just not realistic."

The media bug didn't truly bite until he started a podcast with his brother, Jason McCourty, in 2018. The show featured guests like Vince Wilfork and David Andrews, and it gave Devin a taste of the storytelling side of the sport. Now three years removed from his playing days, he is embracing the role of the "old wise man," passing down advice to current Patriots stars like Christian Gonzalez and Marcus Jones.

He reminds the young players that while the Super Bowl is a business trip, it is also a life-defining experience that should be savored. "I told guys, I was like, ‘Just enjoy all the extra stuff that comes along with it.’ Someone back home is going to watch the pregame, they’re going to see you, and they’re going to feel like a part of them is there with you. Because I was lucky and got to do it five times, but sometimes this might be it."

The Patriots' secondary, led by Gonzalez, will have a major task on Sunday: slowing down Seattle receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba. McCourty is eager to see the matchup, calling Gonzalez a "stud" who has the full confidence of the coaching staff. He also praised the addition of veteran wideout Stefon Diggs, whose leadership has transformed the New England offense.

"Diggs has brought an attitude and experience," McCourty said. "When you get a guy who has commanded double teams and made the big catches, everyone else leans that way. He’s their vocal leader carrying that flag."

While he may have traded his cleats for a suit, the competitive fire remains. As the Patriots and Seahawks prepare to square off once more, McCourty is ready ready for the fun that comes with being a former player at the Super Bowl

"I better get invited to every party," McCourty joked. "I’ve talked to the Krafts. I need the invites! Now is the time to get out there, celebrate with the guys, and enjoy what we were able to accomplish. When we were in it, it was all about 'the next one,' echoing Tom Brady. Now we get to laugh, joke, and maybe even cry a little bit thinking back to those times."