Damar Hamlin Update, Patriots at Bills: Matthew Slater Provides Faith, Leadership in Emotional Week

Patriots team captain Matthew Slater is a calming presence for his teammates amidst the anxiety surrounding the health concerns for Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin.

When 12-time team captain Matthew Slater speaks, the New England Patriots listen.

Keeping the team grounded is one of Slater’s areas of expertise. The 15-year NFL veteran, and three-time Super Bowl Champion, is well-versed in the time-honored New England tradition of taking one game at a time. 

He has experienced winning streaks, as well as rough patches shrouded in defeat. Through it all, Slater’s leadership has been a key reason why his teams never lost focus.

Therefore, in the face of the parlous circumstances befalling the NFL community this week, Patriots coach Bill Belichick once again called upon Slater to be a calming and inspirational voice for all within the Patriots locker room. 

“Bill asked me to pray with the guys earlier in the week,” Slater told reporters on Thursday. “I think my role this week has been to lead spiritually. I’ve always felt like that was my role on the team. So, I’ve tried to be there for guys in that way.”

Slater and the Patriots were among the scores who watched with both horror and anxiety as Bills defensive back Damar Hamlin suffered cardiac arrest following a tackle during the first quarter of Buffalo’s Monday night game against Bengals. 

With New England slated to take on the Bills on Sunday at Highmark Stadium, Slater reminded the team that some things go beyond football, namely Hamlin’s health. 

“We are praying for Damar’s well-being,” Slater said. “We want to see him healthy. We want to see him well. Obviously your heart goes out to his family, his teammates, their organization.” 

While Hamlin remains in intensive care at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, he has shown remarkable progress in his recovery. Not only has he regained consciousness, but he has also demonstrated neurological soundness in communicating with friends, family and teammates. 

While positive news continues to gratefully surround Hamlin’s condition, the uncertainty of his prognosis caused a great deal of anxiety throughout the NFL populace, especially among the brotherhood of its players. For the Patriots, it was Slater’s spiritual stewardship which kept them grounded. 

“You lead how you can, but at the core it’s really about guys knowing that you’re there for them if they need you,” Slater said. “We’re all processing this in our own way and just kind of taking it day-by-day.”

Growing up in southern California, Slater was no stranger to football. His father, Jackie Slater, a Pro Football Hall of Fame offensive lineman for the Los Angeles Rams from 1976-1995, imparted both a love for football and a deep, spiritual faith onto his son. These traits have helped to mold him into the successful man he has become today. 

Slater is a 15-year NFL veteran, having played his entire career with the Patriots. He has earned 10 Pro Bowl nods as a special teamer, the most special teams’ Pro Bowl honors in NFL history. His leadership, on and off the field, has earned him the respect and admiration of his coaches and teammates. 

Still, Slater’s faith is the virtue to which he remains most diligent. Whether it be leading a pregame prayer, or simply performing a random wellness check on one of his teammates, Patriots players look to Slater for guidance and support. While always setting the standard on the field on game day, he takes his greatest pride in the spiritual example he sets each and every day.

“A lot of times what’s missed in all of this is that football is entertainment,” he said. “At the end of the day if you want to boil it down, we’re entertainers. But that’s just our job. People live a life and experience a wide range of emotions in life. You have a wide range of experiences that you experience in life, and you process those things differently. That’s what makes us human — our life experience, our interaction with other human beings and how we’re touched and how that all ebbs and flows together.”

Unsurprisingly, Slater’s role on the team is appreciated by all New England players and coaches, with Belichick being the most notable. 

“Matt’s a great person, great player, great teammate,” Belichick said of Slater on Friday. “It’s about as close to perfect as you could get. So, he’s been a great asset to me personally. Been a great asset to our team and organization on multiple levels.”

Hearing Belichick speak glowingly about his long-time team captain left no doubt as to why Slater was his choice to navigate the Pats through uncharted waters during a unique week. 

“It’s something I see every day,” Belichick said of Slater. “I don’t think there’s any day that he doesn’t motivate, lead, provide an example for every one of us, players, coaches, everybody around him. So, yeah, it’s been great this week.

Though Patriots players continue to wish the best for Hamlin, the team knows that their focus must quickly shift to the gridiron. New England has the chance to clinch a playoff spot with a victory over the Bills on Sunday. As such, the need to approach the game as a must-win situation. 

Should New England fail in their attempt to qualify for the postseason, Slater may be suiting up for his final NFL game. At age 37, retirement is a significant possibility. If the sun is indeed setting on his time in New England, Slater knows that helping to prepare his team for victory is the best way to leave a fulfilling and lasting legacy. 

Though the future cannot be guaranteed, Slater will always have his teammates best interest at heart, both professionally and personally.

It is that spirit which makes Matthew Slater a true leader. 

Kickoff between the Patriots and Bills is set for 1 p.m. ET on Sunday, Jan 8 from Highmark Stadium.

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Follow Mike D’Abate on Twitter @mdabateNFL and Listen/Subscribe to his daily podcast: Locked On Patriots

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