Jason and Devin McCourty of the New England Patriots will become the first set of twins to play in a Super Bowl on Sunday, when their team faces the Los Angeles Rams at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
The twins haven't always been on the same side of the field: Jason spent eight seasons with the Tennessee Titans and one with the Cleveland Browns. Devin, who was drafted a year after his brother, has been with the Patriots since 2010, when coach Bill Belichick took him in the first round.
Before this season, the last time the McCourtys were teammates was when they played together at Rutgers University in 2008.
Jason says he has his brother to thank for their reunion in New England. It all started when Devin sent a text to Belichick advocating for Jason, who was about to be released by the Browns, Jason writes on the Players' Tribune. His pitch was simple: "Two McCourtys are better than one," Devin texted the legendary coach.
It worked. About 45 minutes later, "my brother got a call from Bill Belichick," Jason recalls. And "right after they spoke, Dev FaceTime'd me."
Devin was calling to relay the good news: The Patriots were going to send a sixth-round draft pick to the Browns in exchange for Jason and a seventh-round pick. That was in March 2018.
This Sunday, Devin could win his third Super Bowl with the Patriots, and Jason could win his first. This is the first time he's been on a team that has even made it to the playoffs, so Jason is savoring every second.
"There are so many great players … who I've been around or played against that never get this opportunity," he writes. "I was one of them. I get it. So I'm not taking any of this for granted."
Don't miss: Bill Belichick got his first job in the NFL at age 23—it paid $25 a week
Like this story? Subscribe to CNBC Make It on YouTube!