ATLANTA _ The news this week was big enough as to illicit reactions from Devin McCourty's New England teammates.
On Tuesday, one of his most prominent teammates offered a response.
"Devin's a drama queen," said Jason McCourty, Devin's twin, the brothers so close in resemblance that they can be separated by most people only by their chicken pox scars.
A day earlier at the first mass media session of Super Bowl LIII, Devin, 31 and finishing up his ninth NFL season, admitted he might retire after the game Sunday.
Jason said he knew nothing about his brother's proclamation until he turned on his phone after the session had ended. He read the news and immediately texted his wife, Melissa.
"Look at this," he said he wrote her, smiling. "Dev' is just so dramatic."
After the Patriots traded for Jason in March, this season became a magical reunion for the McCourty twins, both of whom play defensive back.
Jason spent the first nine years of his career in Tennessee and Cleveland and, before this month, never had played in an NFL postseason game. His brother, meanwhile, will be making his fifth Super Bowl appearance.
No one in this game has traveled a greater distance _ in the standings, at least _ to reach Sunday than has Jason. With the Browns in 2017, he finished 0-16.
"You can't make this stuff up," he said. "There's no way I'm sitting at the end of last year and saying, 'Hey, come next year, I'm going to be in the Super Bowl.' You just can't imagine those things."
Jason is scheduled for free agency after the season, meaning Super Bowl LIII could be the twins' final game together. Some in the Boston media even have suggested both could retire after the game.
For now, next season might as well be years away.
"As kids, you go to Super Bowl parties and dream about this," Jason said. "Now, I think about how many kids will be at home making Pizza Rolls and Bagel Bites watching us play in the Super Bowl.
"This opportunity isn't promised to anyone, no matter who you are. It doesn't just happen. I bring the perspective of a guy who's worked his butt off but never had this chance before."
