Bill Belichick offered high praise of retiring fullback James Develin. Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports

Bill Belichick praises retiring New England fullback James Develin

By Zac Wassink | Last updated 4/27/20

Three-time Super Bowl champion and one-time Pro Bowl fullback James Develin won't be the first name casual fans think about when they recall the New England Patriots teams that dominated the NFL for much of the 2010s.

New England head coach Bill Belichick made it clear he didn't take Develin for granted after the 31-year-old retired from the league on Monday.

Jeff Howe of The Athletic shared a statement from Belichick about the retiring Develin:

Bill Belichick released one hell of a statement on James Develin’s retirement. Incredibly high praise. pic.twitter.com/u2P4lCHL7N
— Jeff Howe (@jeffphowe) April 27, 2020

"To some people, James Develin may be ‘unsung’ in terms of publicity and fame, but to his coaches and teammates he is one of the most appreciated and respected players we have ever had,” Belichick began.

He continued:

“In football, there are a lot of tough, unselfish and dependable people who bring positive leadership on a daily basis, but the name James Develin represents those qualities at an elite level. A tribute to the impact James had on our success, of the five seasons in which he appeared in every game, we won three championships. Any team would be fortunate to have a James Devlin-‘type’ on its roster but the reality is he is a rarity and we are very fortunate he was a Patriot."

Earlier in the day, Develin took to Instagram to announce complications from the neck injury that shortened his 2019 season forced him to retire after 83 regular-season appearances with the Patriots: