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New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick recently praised special teams ace Matthew Slater, comparing him to some all-time greats Tom Brady and Lawrence Taylor.
Slater signed a one-year deal this off-season to stay with the Patriots for his 15th season.
Belichick spoke to ESPN following Slater's re-signing, with the team dubbing him as the best special-teamer to play the game.
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Belichick said:
"(He) will go up there, in the kicking game, with Brady on offense and Taylor on defense," Belichick said, per ESPN. "So I feel very, very fortunate to have the opportunity to coach all ... players, but I'd say those three in particular."
New England drafted Slater in the fifth-round of the 2008 NFL draft out of UCLA. Slater has played primarily special teams, specifically as a gunner on kickoffs and punts, but is listed as a wide receiver.
He was named to the Patriots' 2010s All-Decade Team and is the son of former Rams offensive lineman Jackie Slater, a Hall of Fame inductee.
Slater has 173 total tackles, one forced fumble, 637 return yards, one reception for 46 yards, 2 rushing attempts for 11 yards, and one touchdown.
Matthew Slater has made the Pro Bowl 10 times and has made the All-Pro team eight times in his career
Belichick has every right to compare Slater to the greats of their positions, such as Tom Brady and Lawrence Taylor. Slater has the most Pro-Bowl selections (10) of any special teams player in NFL history.
After being named to the Pro Bowl in 2019, Slater officially passed Steve Tasker for the most special teams Pro Bowl honors in league history.
Along with the 10 Pro Bowl selections, Slater has made the All-Pro team a total of eight times, including five First-Team selections.
Slater’s value and impact stems from flipping the field position and shutting down kick and punt returners. Many Patriots players rave about his leadership and locker room presence. He is certainly on his to way to Canton one day as a Hall-of-Famer.
