Even as he’s struggled through a rough rookie season, Chad Ryland says the New England Patriots never lost faith in him. In fact, the team’s most respected locker room leader predicted that the team would need him in the fourth quarter of their Christmas Eve game against the Denver Broncos.
That “prophet” would be Matthew Slater, the long-time special teams captain who missed his first game due to injury since the 2017 season.
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“You have guys like Matt Slater coming up to you and telling you, ‘Hey man, we’re gonna need you in the fourth quarter here,’” Ryland said. “That’s what it’s turned out to be. Matt the prophet. Hey, that came true.”
The Patriots’ last-minute win over the Broncos was rife with miscues, especially on special teams. Ryland especially was under fire. He entered the game 13-of-20 on field goals. He then proceeded to miss one of his two attempts and also clanged an extra point off the upright.
In a game that was tied 23-23 in the closing minutes, those points were badly missed. However, Ryland got the chance to redeem himself with a 56-yard field goal attempt with 0:06 left in the game.
He nailed it.
This has been a tough season for the Patriots and Ryland. However, the rookie says that he’s felt supported the whole way.
“Often times you find the greatest treasure in the darkest caves,” Ryland said. “I’ve obviously been struggling this year, and I was really, really fortunate to be surrounded by a team that believes in me and that helps me to continue forward with my process and then go ahead and knock the last one down.”
Heading into Sunday’s game, Ryland had made 65% of his field goals on the year and just one of his three attempts of 50 yards or longer.
Ryland’s early NFL track record didn’t bode well for his chances in the clutch. However, the rookie said that his confidence has stayed high through the season, and he has his teammates to thank for that.
“Honestly, I didn’t waver in confidence at all,” Ryland said. “Because I knew the guys that I had around me still believed in me and have believed in me all year. That means more to an athlete and even more so to a kicker than I think I could even put into words, is having that support system of the guys.”
Ryland’s kick gave the Patriots a 26-23 win in Denver to improve their record to 4-11 on the year. But more than anything, it provided a chance for redemption for a kicker that’s been through the ringer this season.
