While the Patriots 2021 season came to an abrupt, ugly ending on Super Wild Card Weekend in Buffalo, that loss doesn’t wipe out all the good things that came with what was a relatively good year for the team and many of its players.
Another example of that came this week when the Pro Football Writers Association announced its All-NFL, All-NFC and All-AFC teams as voted on by its members.
New England was one of six teams with three players selected to the All-AFC squad. While the Patriots did not have a player selected to the PFWA All-NFL team, OLB Matthew Judon, CB J.C. Jackson and ST Matthew Slater all earned All-AFC nods, mirroring the team’s Pro Bowl invitations.
Though Judon’s play fell off late in the year, he led New England and tied for seventh in the NFL with a career-high 12.5 sacks.
Jackson, who’s set to become a free agent this offseason, led the Patriots and finished second in the NFL with eight interceptions on the season.
Slater has been one of the NFL’s best special teamers for more than a decade. The veteran, who is also set to become a free agent and could consider retirement after 14 NFL seasons, was second on the Patriots with 11 special teams tackles in 17 games played in 2021.
Five teams – the Ravens, Cowboys, Browns, Packers and Rams – placed a league-high three players on the PFWA All-NFL team, which included 15 first-time selections.
