FRANKFURT, Germany — Matthew Slater has been around too long to pay lip service to a cliché. For the 16-year NFL veteran, playing a game in Germany is not just another game. It’s not just a business trip.
Maybe that’s what he’s supposed to say. But Slater is too sincere for that.
Slater wants to win. He wants to beat the Indianapolis Colts when the teams square off Sunday at Deutsche Bank Park. He doesn’t have a lot of games left in his long and unique career. So the Patriots Pro Bowler wants to win every single one that he can.
But at the same time, he’s not going into the game with tunnel vision either. This is an experience and one he’s not likely to repeat, so he’s absorbing as much as he can while he can.
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“Look, I never thought I’d be in Germany for any reason, let alone playing the game I’ve loved my entire life, so I’m very thankful to be here,” Slater said at Friday’s press conference. “This is such a unique experience and opportunity for all of us. For someone like me who’s very close to the end. I certainly don’t take it lightly and I’m very appreciative of it.”
Coincidentally, helping to grow the NFL in Germany has been a family business. His father, Jackie Slater, was on the Los Angeles Rams, who played in the American Bowl in Berlin in 1990. That was part of the American Bowl, an annual NFL preseason game that roved from different locations around Europe, Canada and Japan. That was the first game in Germany.
“It’s been remarkable to see the growth of our game,” Slater said. “It really is a beautiful thing. … I think at the end of the day, we all love the game. We wanna see it thrive and be successful and we want to share it with the world. I know it’s an American sport but I think it’s a game that everyone can enjoy around the world. So this is a unique opportunity for all of us.
“I remember talking to my dad about that experience and others like it and in no way, shape or form, did he envision us playing like games that count over here,” Slater continued. “For them, it was a new thing I don’t think that they ever could have envisioned what this sport has become and they certainly couldn’t envision, teams playing over here on a regular basis. I hope we do a good job as ambassadors for the league this week and represent the league the right way engaging the fans here in Germany.”
Slater thought too about Sebastian Vollmer and Jakob Johnson, two of his former teammates who grew up in Germany. He wondered if the next German NFL players might be watching from the stands on Sunday.
“They came from Germany and, found a way to pursue the dream of playing the National Football League,” he said. “So you never know who may be watching. You never know what playing a game like this may mean for the growth of the game.”
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Before the game, Slater planned to take in the entire scene, even if just for a moment.
“It’s not something I take for granted,” he said. “I think it’s important while we’re in certain moments to appreciate them. And I think this is one of those moments for me personally. I’ll try to make sure that I take the time to appreciate it.
“We’re happy to play our role in the growth of the game now and certainly the generations ahead have a huge responsibility to keep carrying that torch and hopefully taking the lead to higher heights,” he added. “It’s really crazy when you think of it, that we’re here doing this. It’s a blessing and we’re thankful to be part of it.”
Follow MassLive sports columnist Matt Vautour on Twitter at @MattVautour424.
