Bill Belichick dubs Matthew Slater the best special teams player of all time

Bill Belichick wants to throw some admiration Matthew Slater‘s way. That’s why he’s adding his name alongside Tom Brady and Lawrence Taylor.

We’ll explain. In a recent interview with The 33rd Team, Belichick got nostalgic and talked of how he’s coached the greatest NFL players on offense, defense and special teams. Brady is an obvious choice for offensive player. Folks may argue if he’s the greatest ever, but with seven Super Bowl rings, he dominates that conversation.

Then there’s Taylor, the New York Giant great who terrorized quarterbacks in the 1980s into the early 1990s. Belichick was Taylor’s position coach, then defensive coordinator through 1990. Again, we can quibble where Taylor ranks among the best defensive players ever in the NFL. But you can’t have that conversation without including LT at linebacker.

Matthew Slater is headed into his 16th season with Patriots

And that brings us to Matthew Slater. Belichick named-checked a ton of special team all-stars with Slater topping the list.

“When you have the opportunity to coach players that are great in areas, and that of course includes the specialists,” Belichick said. “Guys like Adam Vinatieri and (Stephen) Gostkowski, don’t want to take anything away from them, either. And great punters like (Sean) Landeta and (Dave) Jennings and so forth.

“But the special teams coverage guys — and we’ve had a lot of them — back in the Giants, you know, with Reyna Thompson, and great returners like (Dave) Meggett and (Julian) Edelman and Troy Brown and all that. But as a core special teams player, Slater really is, I’d say, been the best of all time. I hope he gets recognized for that.”

The Patriots selected Matthew Slater in the fifth round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He’s found a home in Foxboro every season since then. Slater was a receiver and part-time defender at UCLA. But he aced special teams, especially on returns. Plus, he boasted excellent NFL bloodlines. His dad, Jackie Slater, was an offensive tackle who played two decades with the Rams on his way to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Belichick loved Matthew Slater so much he traded up to get him. He’s more than proved his value, making 10 Pro Bowls. He’s headed into his 16th season and will earn $2.515 million this year.

And the head coach still loves his special teams. In April’s draft, the Patriots selected Maryland kicker Chad Ryland in the fourth round. Then in the sixth round, the Patriots picked Michigan State punter Bryce Baringer.