Patriots Captain Matthew Slater Blasts NFL, Kickoff Rule Changes

FOXBORO — New England Patriots team captain Matthew Slater is one of the NFL’s most respected players, both on and off the field — often considered the standard to which his teammates (and even his coaches) hold themselves accountable.

However, the 15-year veteran, and Pats special teams stalwart, is clearly not a fan of the league’s recent rule changes regarding kickoffs.

“I do have a bias about this, right?… I’m just not convinced that our league is always going to do what’s in the best interest of our players,” Slater told reporters following Wednesday’s OTAs practice. “We don’t always act as if player health and safety is paramount.”

The new rule, effective immediately, will give the receiving team the ball at its own 25 yard-line, with a fair catch of a kickoff anywhere behind that yard line. In short, it becomes the equivalent of the kickoff having gone through the end zone. The NFL hopes the change will reduce the risk of injuries, especially concussions, on kickoffs which are typically one of the most dangerous parts of the game.

However, Slater’s comments imply that he believes the changes merely reassign the risk, rather than reducing it.

"I'm just not convinced that our league is always going to do what's in the best interest of our players... I don't believe that this is truly in the name of player health and safety … They haven't changed the techniques. There's still going to be collisions that occur if the ball is not fair caught."

In addition to Slater, the new rule also recently drew the ire of Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid and Detriot Lions boss Dan Campbell.

While he may be less-than pleased with the NFL’s new special teams mandate, the 37-year-old looked happy to be back on the practice fields with the Pats on Wednesday. Slater agreed to return for his 16th season with New England, signing a one-year extension with the club in February.

A 12-time team captain, Slater originally joined the Patriots as a fifth-round draft selection (153rd overall) in the 2008 NFL Draft out of UCLA. Since that time, he has played in 223 career regular season games, starting three of them, and 25 postseason contests with one start. He has earned two first-team All-Pro selections (2016, 2019), three second team All-Pro (2017, 2020, 2021) and 10 Pro Bowl nods, the most by a special teamer in NFL history.

Though the team uncharacteristically struggled on special teams in 2022, Slater still performed at a high level. The 12-time team captain took 84 percent of their special teams snaps, earning 13 tackles: routinely making plays as the Pats special teams gunner, as well as in punt and kick team coverage.

For all of his on-field success, the argument can be made that Slater is equally respected off the field. The Pats captain is among the team’s most stabilizing veteran presences. As such, he takes great pride in his role as a mentor for many of the team’s younger players — not only leading them on the field, but also offering his wisdom and advice away from it.

As the 2023 Patriots prepare for the upcoming season, Matthew Slater’s skill set, leadership and honesty will play major roles in the type of season fans can expect in New England.

Sometimes the more things change, the more they stay the same.

Follow Mike D’Abate on Twitter @mdabateNFL and Listen/Subscribe to his daily podcast: Locked On Patriots

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