An argument could be made that Matthew Slater is the greatest special teams player of all time. New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick has coached a lot of great football players, and even he admits there’s been no one better than Slater at his special teams position.
When speaking with media members on Friday, Belichick laid out a strong Hall of Fame case for the 10-time Pro Bowl special-teamer.
“Well, I think Slater really is eventually going to be a Hall of Fame candidate, as a coverage player, not a specialist,” said Belichick. “It’s what he is. And he’s not a returner. So he’s in a very unique category, one I don’t think is represented in the Hall of Fame.
“But based on what he did during his career and the length of time he did it and at the level he’s done it at—but then again, since there’s no criteria for the Hall of Fame, there’s no criteria—but I would say this guy has been as productive as anybody has ever been at his position throughout his entire career, which is very lengthy. I think he’s the best that’s ever done what he’s done. Whether that’s Hall of Fame-worthy or not, that’s a different subject that I don’t have a say in. But I can’t imagine putting anybody in there ahead of him at that position.”
"He's in a very unique category… he's been as productive as anybody has ever been at his position."
Bill Belichick makes case for Matthew Slater as a Hall of Fame candidate pic.twitter.com/Ha4l1W3EX4
— NBC Sports Boston's Patriots Coverage (@NBCSPatriots) December 29, 2023
Slater’s career is impeccable and should be deemed Hall of Fame-worthy once he retires and is eligible. Every position on the field is vital to the overall team’s success.
Slater has led by example both on and off the field for well over a decade, and he deserves to be immortalized one day in Canton with the rest of the NFL’s all-time greats.
