Being unable to send Matthew Slater off with a win left Patriots LB with ‘dirty taste’ in his mouth
"We really don't give a damn about what happened with the record. Today was a big moment for us to send [Slater] off with a great win. It's unfortunate that it didn't happen."
FOXBOROUGH — After he marched to the postgame podium for what could be the final time, Matthew Slater said he wouldn’t be standing there without coach Bill Belichick’s impact on his career.
The 10-time Pro Bowler thanked fans for their support, and cracked a few jokes about his early days playing for the Patriots when he was uncertain that he would make the team at all.
Heading into his rookie season, Slater was so unsure of his fit with the team that he asked his father, Pro Football Hall of Famer Jackie Slater, if it was possible for the Patriots to release him before they paid out his signing bonus.
“I came here as a no name, fringe player,” Slater said. “For a lot of my career, a lot of you guys thought I was getting cut. I thought I was getting cut, too. To have this fan base embrace me the way that they have, and appreciate what I do on the field is very, very humbling.”
Slater, 38, wouldn’t say if Sunday was his last game in a Patriots uniform. But, the signs bearing his name in the stands and the warm-up sweatshirts that the Patriots wore honoring him before the game made it seem like a real possibility.
Linebacker Jahlani Tavai said the Patriots were disappointed they couldn’t send Slater off with one last win.
“We really don’t give a damn about what happened with the record,” Tavai said. “Today was a big moment for us to send [Slater] off with a great win. It’s unfortunate that it didn’t happen. So, I’ve just got that little dirty taste in my mouth right now.”
“Slate is the definition of a great human being,” Tavai added. “A lot of us strive to be like him. I was just fortunate enough to be here and grateful for every talk that we had. I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”
Belichick said after the game that he will have a meeting with team owner Robert Kraft.
ESPN reported that the meeting is scheduled for Monday. Multiple reports saying that Belichick’s job status is in jeopardy and that the meeting could help decide his fate.
Tavai was asked if there was a similar motivation to get a win for Belichick in might have been his final game.
“I have nothing but respect for Bill. So, I don’t know about that. I don’t know what’s up for that. That’s not a part of my pay grade. All I know is Slate is out there running his butt off at his age, and he’s still doing it.”
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