Slater in the 2011 NFL season. |
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| No. 18 New England Patriots | |
| Wide receiver / Safety / Special teamer | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Date of birth: September 9, 1985 | |
| Place of birth: Orange, California | |
| Height: 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | Weight: 200 lb (91 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College: UCLA | |
| NFL Draft: 2008 / Round: 5 / Pick: 153 | |
| Debuted in 2008 for the New England Patriots | |
| Career history | |
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| Roster status: Active | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| Career NFL statistics as of Week 15, 2011 | |
| Tackles | 58 |
| Total return yards | 478 |
| Total touchdowns | 0 |
| Receptions | 1 |
| Receiving Yards | 46 |
| Stats at NFL.com | |
Matthew Wilson Slater (born September 9, 1985) is an American football wide receiver and safety for the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Patriots in the fifth round of the 2008 NFL Draft after playing college football at UCLA. He was selected as the starting AFC special teamer for the 2012 Pro Bowl.[1]
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Slater was born in Orange, California. He lettered in football for two seasons for coach Larry Toner at Servite High School in Anaheim, California. He was an All-West selection by Prep Star and a three-star selection by Rivals.com. He was also a two-time All-Serra League selection.
As a senior, Slater made 39 receptions for 707 yards and five touchdowns. As a junior, he made 23 catches for 333 yards and two touchdowns. Also performed in track finishing tied for second at the CIF State meet in the 100 meter dash (10.67) and fourth in the 200 meter dash (21.39). His 4 x 100 m relay team was CIF champion. He was selected 2003 Orange County Register Boys Track and Field Athlete of the Year as a senior. He still holds school records in the 100 (10.62) and 200 meters (21.39).
He is the son of former NFL offensive tackle and Hall of Famer Jackie Slater.
Slater attended UCLA and majored in political science and history. As freshman he redshirted due to a turf toe injury. In 2004, as a second-year freshman, Slater appeared in games against Illinois, Arizona and Stanford. As a sophomore in 2005 he was reserve wide receiver. He missed the first three games due to a stress fracture in his left leg. He played in two games but did not make a reception.
In 2006, as a junior, Slater played 13 games, including two (Washington and Arizona) on defense. He excelled on kick coverage, specializing on big hits on kick returners to help minimize kick return yardage. On the year, he made nine tackles, including six solos.
As a senior, in 2007, Slater played in 13 games, made 25 tackles. He also returned kicks for the Bruins. He returned 34 kicks for a 29.0 yard average and 3 touchdowns which tied the lead in the nation and set the UCLA record. He also tied the Pac-10 season record, set by Anthony Davis in 1974. His 29.0-yard kickoff return average was first in the Pac-10 and 12th best in the country. He was First-team All-Pac 10 selection as the kick returner. His 986 kickoff return yards were also a new UCLA single-season record.
Slater was drafted in the fifth round of the 2008 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots, who traded up with Tampa Bay before drafting Slater. Matthew's father, Jackie Slater, was pleased with the selection and told the Boston Herald that he got phone calls from "scouts, administrators in the NFL who knew me and my son, and they said, ‘Jackie, this could not be a better fit for your son to start being a pro football player.'"[2] Slater was one of two players selected in the 2008 Draft (the other being Chris Long), and the sixth in the history of the NFL Draft, who is a son of a Hall of Fame member. Slater played in 14 games in his rookie 2008 season, returning 11 kickoffs for 155 yards and recording 12 tackles on special teams.
In 2009, Slater was active for 14 games for the Patriots, recording six tackles on special teams, while recording one rush for six yards as a wide receiver. He also returned 11 kickoffs for 269 yards, a 24.5 average. In 2010, Slater did not record any offensive or defensive statistics, and did not return any kicks or punts, but led the team with 21 special teams tackles in 15 games played.[3]
In the 2011 season, Matthew was voted to be the Special Teams Captain by his teammates.[4][5]
Slater has created a niche as a special teams ace, leading the Patriots with 17 regular season special teams tackles in 2011; however, he has had a presence in all three phases throughout the 2011 season. In the season opener against the Miami Dolphins, Slater made the Patriots’ first big play of the season catching a 46-yard reception from Tom Brady, and set the team up for the Patriots’ first touchdown of the season.[6] He significantly contributed in the defensive backfield, and started in three games as safety. In his defensive start against the Indianapolis Colts, he forced a fumble and finished the game with a team high six tackles.[7]
Slater was selected to be a starter for the 2012 Pro Bowl as the AFC special teamer.[8] Matthew Slater's selection to the 2012 Pro Bowl makes the Slaters one of five active father-son families selected to at least one Pro Bowl apiece: Gill and Jairus Byrd, Archie, Eli, and Peyton Manning, Clay and Clay Matthews and Kellen and Kellen Winslow are the others.[9]
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