Matthew Slater on Patriots’ struggles: ‘It’s got nothing to do with Coach Belichick’

Patriots

“You can’t let people that don’t know half of what’s going on inside the building impact what’s going on inside the building.”

Bill Belichick and Matthew Slater go way back. Patrick McDermott/Getty Images

The more the Patriots lose, the more the rumors intensify that Bill Belichick’s time in New England could be coming to a close.

According to captain Matthew Slater, though, Belichick isn’t at all part of the problem. Slater, a three-time Super Bowl champion who has played for Belichick since 2008, has his coach’s back.

Slater said he has as much faith in Belichick as he’s ever had. He said there’s no reason to be doubting who he is as a leader or coach.

“The struggles that we’ve had on the field this year are due to us and our inability to execute,” Slater told reporters. “It’s got nothing to do with Coach Belichick.”

Slater acknowledged there’s “a lot of negativity” surrounding the team, and he stressed the importance of ignoring it and continuing to focus on the task at hand.

“You can’t let people that don’t know half of what’s going on inside the building impact what’s going on inside the building,” Slater said.

When asked if he feels as though there’s something about the team the media has gotten wrong, Slater clarified his viewpoint. He said he respects the job the New England media does, but reiterated that it’s hard for those on the outside to fully grasp the situation.

“It’s impossible to tell or to paint an accurate picture of things that are happening when you’re not experiencing them firsthand,” Slater said. “That’s just the reality.”