""The linebackers are 210, 215, 230 pounds and can fly," Slater continued. And, his election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility is evidence that he is, in fact, one of the very best to ever play the game, at any position. Slater said that players were standing around and wasting time before a meeting, and Payton got on his hands with his feet above his head, and he walked down the aisle, across the front of the auditorium, and back around on his hands, before he went to his feet. ©2020 FOX News Network, LLC. And I saw him go through that and deal with that for the three years that I played with him.“Eric came in, and he watched the way I worked, and he said, ‘You haven’t been to a Pro Bowl?’ And I said, ‘No I haven’t.’ And he said, ‘Well, you’re going this year,’” Slater said. There was no such thing as going over and two-hand touching him. Hall of Fame offensive lineman Jackie Slater was fortunate enough to block for two of the greatest running backs in the history of the National Football League. Also holds the NFL record for most seasons played with same … ©2020 FOX News Network, LLC.
"He must be able to pass block and take the supreme pass blocker out of the equation in a one-on-one situation, and then he must be able to communicate with his teammates, adjacent offensive linemen, in run blocking schemes, so that they can be effective when they insert the ball behind them in the running game. "During John Robinson's tenure, if you were a good running back, you were going be successful because his mandate was to run the ball. And that's the formula to being successful in the running game to start with. Under Zampese, Emmitt Smith, the NFL's all-time career rushing leader, became the first player to win the Super Bowl after leading the league in rushing during the regular season.Slater believes that, because of the pressures to quickly succeed in today's NFL, most teams no longer spend the necessary time developing offensive linemen. “And he never missed a practice, never missed a game, and he was getting tackled hard. "I think the teams that go about their business of instituting solid play at the line of scrimmage on the offensive line and are moving the ball in the running game, those are the teams that you have to recon with towards the end of the year. "With me and most of the guys that I played with, we respected good pass rushers," Slater said. Contents[show] Biography College Slater attended Jackson State University. Jackie Ray Slater Position: T-G 6-4, 277lb (193cm, 125kg) Born: May 27, 1954 in Jackson, MS. College: Jackson St. “I watched that man practice for three years, and I never saw anything like that. He also blocked in 107 games in which a runner gained 100 yards or more. The 6-4, 277-pound tackle went on to become the mainstay of the Rams’ offensive line. 2 overall pick of the draft. In 1984, Slater helped Eric Dickerson rush for an NFL single-season record 2,105 yards. “Well, 30-something years later, his rookie rushing record still stands, and I did go to my first Pro Bowl that year.”“The best back that I played with in college was Walter Payton, and the best running back that I played with in the pros was Eric Dickerson,” Slater said. There's a few teams around — the people in Dallas, the people in Seattle — they understand this. Slater was also a quality pass blocker.A veteran of 18 playoff games, including Super Bowl XIV, Slater was a model of consistent superlative play and was widely regarded as one of the game’s premier linemen. Divided Loyalties – Jackie Slater -OL- Rams Hall of Fame & Matthew Slater – WR – New England Patriots The Big Game is just 4 days away. We ran powers. A popular player known for his work ethic and leadership skills, Slater earned seven Pro Bowl berths. You just knew that he was different.”One day when Slater was at the Pro Bowl, Dickerson and Payton both approached him from behind. In 1983, he and the Rams offensive line demonstrated their versatility when they allowed a league-low 23 sacks while also paving the way for Dickerson’s rookie rushing record of 1,808 yards. It requires a lot of confidence and a mentality to do it. You'll beat the pass rush right out of him.Zampese would later become offensive coordinator of the Dallas Cowboys, as his well-balanced offensive philosophy helped Dallas win three Super Bowls in a four-year span. Jackie Ray Slater (born May 27, 1954) is a retired National Football League offensive tackle who played his entire 20-year career with the Rams organization, playing 19 seasons for the Rams in Los Angeles (1976–1994) and one season for the Rams in St. Louis in 1995.