Patriots veteran Matthew Slater thankful for the unique opportunity to play NFL game in Germany

BOSTON -- It didn't take long for Matthew Slater to acquire a souvenir from the Patriots' excursion to Germany.  As he took the podium in Frankfurt on Friday, the veteran special teamer had a new jersey draped over his shoulder.

It was the jersey of the German National Team, which Slater won during a friendly trivia competition with teammate Ezekiel Elliott with the local German media. Neither of them have a wealth of knowledge regarding the country they're currently in, but Slater was happy to walk away victorious.

"We had to hit a buzzer and, you know, I've got the jersey and Zeke doesn't. They asked us a lot of questions and we both answered a lot of them wrong," Slater said with a gigantic smile.

"I'll give this to my kids, they'll enjoy it," added Slater.

It's one of the many unique experiences the 38-year-old Slater is going to soak up this weekend. He knows that the finish line is fast approaching, and opportunities like this trip will soon dry up. 

"I never thought I'd be in Germany for any reason, let alone playing the game I've loved my entire life," noted Slater. "I'm very thankful to be here. This is such a unique opportunity for all of us, but especially for someone like me that is close to the end, I certainly don't take it lightly and am very appreciative of it."

Slater has his family with him for the trip, and said he would appreciate the sights and experiences of Germany as best he can without breaking his routine. The whole point of being over there, after all, is Sunday's game against the Indianapolis Colts.

While Slater said that New England fans appreciate special teams play more than any other fan base in the NFL, international fans in Europe love it too. He enjoys being on the field for the opening kickoff in these international games, because that's when the fans are at their loudest. 

"Special teams, it's tough to say where our appreciation level is. Sometimes I feel it, sometimes I don't. I certainly feel it when I come over here," he said. "But we don't do it for recognition, or appreciation. We do it for each other. It's really about the team and trying to help the team be successful. We're OK being nameless, faceless guys and just a number out there, as long as we're helping our football team."

At 2-7, the Patriots need a lot of help, and they really need a win on Sunday. Not just to prove that they still can win football games, but to get back into the right mindset.

Slater said this season has been "unenjoyable" at times, but he believes the team will grow stronger by overcoming this adversity.

"I truly believe that adversity not only makes you better as a professional, but better men," he said. "You can't really grow unless you're under tension, under pressure, under adversity. We've experienced a lot of growth this year. It's been uncomfortable and flat out unenjoyable at times. But I think everyone, if they take the right mindset and approach, has a less they can learn to make them better professionally and personally. Hopefully we don't miss those lessons."