Matthew Slater replacements emerge before, during, and after Patriots season opener

The New England Patriots s season opener against the Cincinnati Bengals was not just the first game under head coach Jerod Mayo and his new-look staff.

It also was the first Week 1 contest since 2007 that did not feature Matthew Slater.

The long-time team captain announced his retirement from pro football earlier this offseason.

Slater ending his Hall of Fame-caliber career created a sizable void within the Patriots that had to be filled both on and off the field.

On Sunday against Cincinnati, we saw how the Patriots intended to fill it.

Before, during and after their 16-10 win, they showcased their Matthew Slater replacements.

First off was center and eight-year captain David Andrews.

The second longest-tenured Patriot now behind long snapper Joe Cardona, Andrews took over Slaters former role as team representative at the coin toss.

Like his predecessor, he opted to go with the heads call.

Cardona, meanwhile, was also voted captain for the first time in his career and therefore succeeded Slater as the designated leader of the special teams unit in New England.

The groups on-field leader was somebody else, though: Brenden Schooler, who already led the team in kicking game tackles each of his first two seasons in the league.

Schooler was on the field for 17 of a possible 21 snaps in the games third phase, and finished with three tackles as a gunner on the punt team.

Brenden Schooler gunner highlights pic.twitter.com/mk8rh1j7DH A former undrafted free agent, Schooler already served as an understudy to Slater in 2022 and 2023.

During that time, he proved himself worthy of succeeding the veteran at some point.

On Sunday, he did that and delivered the bests individual performance of his career in terms of tackles.

Besides Andrews, Cardona and Schooler, the Patriots also turned to linebacker JaWhaun Bentley to help fill Slaters shoes.

Another captain, the 28-year-old was chosen to address his teammates in the locker room after the game.

He also broke down the postgame huddle culminating in the familiar Awww yeah chant.

FIRST ONE Awwwwww yeahhhhhhhh pic.twitter.com/q9YnU6e0OZ Now, how do we feel about coming to Cincinnati and taking over their trap? Bentley asked.

The response from the rest of the team was as emphatic as the Patriots general performance on their first opening day of the post-Matthew Slater era.

Aww yeah, indeed..

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