Patriots veteran slams huge NFL rule change

Slater said that the new rule -- which will see fair catches made anywhere between the goal line and the 25-yard line result in the ensuing drive starting at the 25 -- is far from the only thing that shows the league isn't "always going to do what's in the best interest of our players."

The 37-year-old pointed to "Thursday Night Football" as an "easy one" and "low-hanging fruit" in the argument that the NFL doesn't always act as if player health and safety is "paramount." Slater also mentioned the benefit of playing on grass fields vs. turf surfaces during his speech.

The longest-tenured member of the Patriots and longtime co-captain joins the likes of Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid and Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh as recent critics of the rule. New England head coach Bill Belichick also addressed the matter on Wednesday, saying that he agreed with his fellow coaches.

Slater holds the NFL record for most special teams Pro Bowl selections with 10 and has been named First Team All-Pro twice as well. He's spent his entire career in New England after being selected in the fifth round of the 2008 NFL Draft.

Slater is the son of Hall of Fame tackle Jackie Slater, who made seven Pro Bowls during his 20-year career from 1976-95. The special teamer tied in his father's lengthy career and post-playing days during his argument on Wednesday.

The fair catch and touchback rule change will be instituted on a one-year trial run during the 2023 season.