The New England Patriots are making the transition to a new era.
Bill Belichick’s military-like system is no longer in place, and it’s all about player empowerment now.
Jerod Mayo is a former player who was there in the trenches, so he clearly knows how to get to his guys and bring the best out of them.
That’s why he’s bringing in another familiar face to kickstart this new era.
According to a report by Mike Reiss of ESPN, the Patriots have brought back team legend Matthew Slater.
The recently retired player had previously worked as an advisor for the team, and will now be a full-time employee (via ProFootballTalk).
Matthew Slater lands a full-time job with the Patriots, as new coach and former teammate Jerod Mayo’s “right-hand man.” https://t.co/fLNJWiQAdb
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) April 21, 2024
The report adds that Slater will be Jerod Mayo’s ‘right-hand man.’
This is hardly a surprise.
They’ve been teammates since they entered the league in the 2008 NFL Draft.
Mayo was taken in the first round and made an immediate impact on defense, while Slater went on to become one of the greatest special teams players of all time and a team captain.
Per the report, Slater will be ‘a sounding board on football and team building’ and assist with ‘people development.’
It’s the dawn of a new era in Foxboro.
The players are different than they used to be back in the day, and perhaps changing the way the coaches deal with them will also lead to better results.
Belichick is clearly one of the best to ever do it, but perhaps his ways were a little outdated.
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