Patriots Captain Had This Message For Chad Ryland After Game-Winning Kick

Matthew Slater did not play in Sunday night’s dramatic Patriots victory in Denver. But his hamstring injury didn’t prevent him from handling his traditional post-win duties.

After head coach Bill Belichick addressed the team in the locker room, he ceded the floor to New England’s longtime special teams captain.

Slater, bundled up in sweats and two hoodies, used his platform to spotlight rookie kicker Chad Ryland, whose 56-yard field goal in the final seconds allowed the Patriots to leave Empower Field with a 26-23 upset.

The kick was a much-needed moment of redemption for Ryland, who missed two kicks earlier in the game and ranks second-to-last among qualified NFL kickers in field-goal success rate this season (65.2%).

“Everybody in this locker room believes in who you are, man,” Slater told Ryland, as seen in a team-released locker room video. “You showed a lot of mental toughness tonight to bounce back and make that kick.”

Ryland mentioned his teammates’ continued support several times during his postgame news conference, saying it helped him maintain his confidence amid an ugly start to his career. The fourth-round draft pick also said Slater gave him some words of encouragement during the game.

“You have guys like Matt Slater coming up to you and telling you, ‘Hey, man, we’re going to need you in the fourth quarter here. That’s what it’s turning out to be,'” Ryland told reporters. “And Matt the prophet, it came true. I’m super thankful and blessed to have a team around me that supports me through anything.”

The Patriots will visit the Buffalo Bills this Sunday before closing out their 2023 season against the New York Jets at Gillette Stadium.