The New England Patriots have been decking up their stakes for the upcoming 2022 season. While they have made no sort of flashy trades, they seem to keep things on a low profile. However, this doesn’t limit one of the team’s famous personalities. Head Coach Bill Belichick garners the qualities of Matthew Slater, comparing him with the 2 icons he mentored in the past.

Belichick has indeed been candid about eloquent exchanges and shines the spotlight on the players he admires. However, we don’t see them very often. As Belichick’s spilling knowledge is uncommon, it’s usually significant when that happens. The longtime special teams captain Matthew Slater is rather lucky to garner such praise from a living legend.

Matthew Slater gets the Bill Belichick advocacy

When asked about re-signing special teams standout Matthew Slater at the NFL’s Annual League Conference in Florida weeks ago, Pats coach Bill Belichick delivered a response.

According to ESPN and Mike Reiss, Belichick addresses, “[He] will go up there, in the kicking game, with [Tom] Brady on offense and [Lawrence] Taylor on defense. So I feel very, very fortunate to have the opportunity to coach all the players, but I’d say those three in particular.” Reiss also mentions Bill’s gratitude for the opportunity to mentor the three.

The 3-time Super Bowl winner has spent most of his tenure on special teams, primarily as a kick and punt shooter. The club currently recognizes him as a wideout and has made an emergency start on defense at safety.

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Matthew built his entire 15-year NFL career in New England. In the fifth round of the 2008 NFL Draft, Bill Belichick took a gamble on Matthew Slater. The athlete, who mainly played special teams at UCLA, was selected to the Pro Bowl 9 times, the most by a special teams player in League history. He also won the Bart Starr and Art Rooney sportsmanship honors.

Belichick’s placement of Slater in the same category as Brady and Lawrence Taylor demonstrates his admiration for the game’s often-overlooked third phase. Brady is the greatest quarterback of all time, while fans largely regarded Taylor as the best defensive player of all time. With Belichick’s gushing appreciation, Slater’s prowess on special teams may land over some major benefit in the future.

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