The legacy Matthew Slater established in New England will be hard to live up to. The special teams' legend did everything the Patriots asked him to, and was well-respected by everybody in the locker room.
Rookie wide receiver Kyle Williams appears to fully understand that, and it appears to be a big reason why he chose to wear Slater's number 18. That's a good start for a guy who will be key to an offense looking to turn things around in 2025 after a few subpar seasons.
ESPN's Mike Reiss spoke to Williams about his decision to take on the iconic number, sharing that several factors led him to No. 18, one of which was Slater's legacy in New England.
When Williams' college numbers of 1 and 2 - currently being worn by Ja'Lynn Polk and Harold Landry - weren't available, Slater's old number turned out to be a no-brainer for Williams, telling Jaillet that "the legendary Matthew Slater" was the biggest motivation for selecting the number.
Can Kyle Williams live up to the high expectations?
The expectations for Williams, a third-round pick, are high, and he has looked great during the Patriots' offseason program. Having veteran wide receivers such as Stefon Diggs in the room will undoubtedly be a big part of Williams' development.
By choosing Slater's number, Williams is already off to a good start in the context of earning the respect of the veterans. For any rookie, that's a small but significant factor from a development standpoint, as being a good locker room presence is an important aspect.
Slater made a significant impact with the Patriots during his career, and it extended beyond winning Super Bowls. He was an empowering presence both on and off the field, regularly making appearances at community events and drawing on lessons learned from his Hall of Fame father, Jackie.
It remains to be seen whether Williams will have the same kind of career in New England, as he has yet to play a down with the Patriots. But the combination of his talent, motivation, and respect for franchise and NFL legends, such as Slater, has Williams off to a great start. And that's welcome news for an organization that hasn't had a good track record of drafting receivers in recent years.