Matthew Slater Honored With Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award

New England Patriots put great effort in their work and some of them do better than the others. Matthew Slater did a wonderful job with the team and he definitely deserves the Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award. Many would agree that he is the right athlete to get the prestigious award.

The Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award ends up in the hands of a player “who best demonstrates the qualities of on-field sportsmanship, including fair play, respect for the game and opponents, and integrity in competition.”

Slater earns this award for the very first time in his excellent career. The Patriots special teams captain plays a big role in the locker room and younger teammates follow his footsteps. He sets up excellent example for other NFL players.

“As a 10-time Pro Bowl selection and three-time Super Bowl Champion, Matthew is already recognized as the most accomplished special teams performer in NFL history,” Patriots owner Robert Kraft said in a statement. “He is an even better person. He is a man of tremendous faith whose character shines bright. His leadership, on and off the field, has earned him the respect and admiration of his coaches and teammates, who have voted him as their team captain for the past 11 years.

“In my opinion, there is no player more deserving of the Art Rooney Sportsmanship award than Matthew Slater. He is a tremendous ambassador for the New England Patriots and the National Football League.”

Matthew Slater worked hard to get the Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award

The Patriots owner told Slater about the award. Slater faced serious competition this year, but beat other players, including Jason McCourty and Brandin Cooks.

“It’s nice to see someone who really deserves it get it,” Kraft told Slater. “… There’s never been a higher-quality character person come through this system than Matthew Slater. … They don’t come better than you, man.”

They don’t come better than Matthew Slater ❤️? pic.twitter.com/eaexPQ1Prt

— New England Patriots (@Patriots) February 11, 2022

Slater is an excellent player and the Patriots rely on his great leadership. He has created a nice bond with his teammates and this helps him accomplish great things on the field.

Patriots head coach Bill Belichick praises Slater every time someone mentions his name, because he really respects great players.