Former New England Patriots defensive back Devin McCourty has opened up about a protocol he experienced when he was in the NFL. McCourty made the revelation in light of an incident involving Carolina Panthers’ Tre’von Mohrig and San Francisco 49ers’ Jauan Jennings.Late in the fourth quarter of Carolina’s 20-9 loss to the 49ers, Moehrig punched Jennings in the groin, causing the receiver to writhe in pain. After the game, Jennings found Moehrig and threw a punch at him before being pulled back by teammates and staffers.Appearing on Pro Football Talk on Tuesday, McCourty was asked by host Mike Florio if the league's pile-up protocol was this demanding during his time. The three-time Super Bowl champion responded:“Here’s the protocol, all right. Ball’s on the ground. You’re jumping in, you’re diving on the ball. You’re gonna protect every ball. You’re gonna protect every ball. Listen to this: You’re gonna jump on the ball, get on the football, get in the fetal. But once you get in the fetal, close your mouth, close your eyes, squeeze your butt cheeks. You wanna close everything up.”Tre’von Moehrig has subsequently been handed a one-game suspension by the NFL for the strike on Jauan Jennings. The league announced the decision on Tuesday. According to the league’s statement, Moehrig’s act violated Rule 12, Section 3, Article 1 of the NFL rulebook.The rule “applies to ‘any act which is contrary to the generally understood principles of sportsmanship.’”Meanwhile, ESPN has reported Moehrig is appealing the NFL’s decision. The player is set to miss the Panthers’ next game against the Los Angeles Rams if his appeal is unsuccessful. On the other hand, Jennings will be hit with a fine for punching Moehrig after the game, per NFL Network.Looking back on Devin McCourty’s NFL careerDevin McCourty was selected in the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft by the Patriots. A consistent feature of the Patriots' defense in his time, McCourty only missed five games through his 13-year career with the team.He earned two Pro Bowl selections in addition to winning three Super Bowl rings. His prolific career also made him the defensive player with the most postseason starts in the NFL’s history.Devin McCourty’s twin brother, Jason McCourty, also spent 13 seasons playing in the NFL as a cornerback.