Morning sports update: Matthew Slater reportedly considered opting out of season but will play in 2020
"It's possible this list could have grown even more if Slater had opted out."
The NBA returns today, with the Jazz vs. the Pelicans at 6:30 p.m., followed by Lakers vs. the Clippers at 9 p.m. The league is playing from inside its Disney World bubble.
The Red Sox rallied to defeat the Mets on Wednesday, 6-5. The win snaps the team’s four-game losing streak.
Matthew Slater will not opt out: After several Patriots players reportedly decided to opt out of the 2020 NFL season due to the dangers posed by the coronavirus pandemic, the possibility remains that other players might follow suit.
But in one case, New England will have a familiar face at training camp. Special teams captain Matthew Slater will reportedly play in 2020, according to NFL insider Mike Garafolo.
“Well, one guy who almost, he decided not to, and that’s Matt Slater,” said Garafolo.
“We were chasing this yesterday, Ian Rapoport and I, because I was told that Slater was leaning towards opting out,” Garafolo explained. “And Rapoport eventually tracked down Slater who said, ‘No, it was a tough decision, but I will be playing.'”
Slater, 34, has been a critical component of the Patriots’ success since being selected in the fifth round of the 2008 draft. Though he doesn’t play a prominent position, his contributions as a special teams ace and team leader have often been praised by coaches and teammates.
According to Garafolo, Slater’s decision as a team leader might have an effect on other players reporting.
“And by the way, he being a team captain, I gather that some other guys were looking to Slater to see what he would do, so it’s possible this list could have grown even more if Slater had opted out,” Garafolo noted.
From @gmfb: The #Patriots almost had another opt-out but longtime team captain Matt Slater tells @RapSheet he has decided to play this season. pic.twitter.com/LEQYE3ohKV
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) July 30, 2020
Trivia: Who was the only wide receiver selected before Randy Moss in the 1998 NFL draft?
(Answer at the bottom).
Hint: He had a central role in a famous Tennessee Titans game-winning play.
More from Boston.com:
- Patrick Chung explains his decision to opt out of NFL season
- 10 storylines to follow at the start of Patriots training camp
- Red Sox end skid, top Jacob deGrom, Mets 6-5
- Former Patriots left tackle Nate Solder opts out of 2020 NFL season
- Here are the social justice messages the Celtics will wear on the backs of the their jerseys
- Kemba Walker finishes full practice, expected to play against Bucks on Friday
- MLB doubleheaders could get shortened to 7-inning games
- Dodgers’ Joe Kelly suspended 8 games after restarting feud over Astros’ sign-stealing scandal
Jaylen Brown’s message
:
Get out and vote let’s make it a trend 💯 https://t.co/kXSndepRxf
— Jaylen Brown (@FCHWPO) July 30, 2020
Torey Krug is still a Joe Kelly fan:
https://twitter.com/ToreyKrug/status/1288589918978158593
On this day: In 1966, England defeated West Germany 4-2 to win the World Cup. The tournament, hosted in England, remains the only occasion when the inventors of the game won its most prestigious international trophy.
Daily highlight: Carl Yastrzemski’s grandson, Mike, hit a walk-off for the Giants on Wednesday in a 7-6 win.
It’s only a splash hit if it soars into McCovey Cove on the fly. Otherwise, it’s just a sparkling home run.
@BankofAmerica | #SFGiants pic.twitter.com/k4pBKr3zl5— SFGiants (@SFGiants) July 30, 2020
Trivia answer: Kevin Dyson
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