Two months after announcing his retirement from football, Matthew Slater is already back with the New England Patriots with a new gig.
According to ESPN’s Mike Reiss, the special teams legend is reportedly being described as the “right-hand man” to Jerod Mayo, who is making his head coaching debut in 2024.
Reiss wrote:
One source described his role as a “right-hand man” to first-year head coach Mayo, providing Mayo a sounding board on football and team building, as well as assistance in “people development.”
More Slater is obviously a good thing for the team.
Not only was he one of the most productive players on the field, but he was also one of the greatest locker room leaders in franchise history. The Patriots getting to keep that part intact in a rebuilding year should be considered a big win for the organization.
There’s one major roster building hurdle left to clear at the 2024 NFL draft, where the Patriots hope to mold the next crop of talent in Slater’s image.