Matthew Slater has clocked out, but he’s not leaving.
Slater, who was previously working as an advisor to the Patriots, is now a full-time employee, according to Mike Reiss of ESPN.com.
Reiss reports that Slater will be the “right-hand man” to new head coach Jerod Mayo.
Both arrived via the 2008 draft. Mayo was a first-round pick; Slater was a fifth-rounder. Technically a receiver (he had one career catch, for 46 yards), Slater was a long-time special-teams captain and an excellent special-teams player.
Reiss explain that Slater will be a “sounding board on football and team building,” and that he’ll assist with “people development.”
It’s a smart move for Mayo. Head coaches need key assistants who are both competent and trustworthy. Mayo and Slater are close friends; the trust is implied. Now, they’ll try to do as coaches what they did as players.
