FOXBORO, Mass. — A New England Patriots torch was passed Sunday when Ja’Whaun Bentley took over as the new post-victory speech leader.
With Matthew Slater retired, someone had to replace him as the driving force behind the “Aww Yeah!” tradition — and Bentley was the choice.
Ahead of Wednesday’s practice, Pro Football Network spoke with Bentley and multiple Patriots players about the change.
Ja’Whaun Bentley Opens Up on Carrying ‘Aww Yeah!’ Torch
Slater handled the “Aww Yeah!” duties for over a decade, carrying on a tradition started by Tedy Bruschi in the early 2000s. Bentley took his first crack at the job after New England’s stunning road win over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday.
“It’s huge. Huge,” Bentley told PFN when asked about what the moment meant to him. “Being a part of it for so long with Slate leading it, and then hearing about Bruschi leading it before then, definitely a huge moment.”
Bentley admitted to being surprised by the attention given to his speech.
“I didn’t know how many cameras were in there at the time; now I keep seeing it over and over,” he said. ” … That moment was huge.”
FIRST ONE 🗣️
Awwwwww yeahhhhhhhh pic.twitter.com/q9YnU6e0OZ
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) September 9, 2024
So, how did Bentley learn he’d be the one replacing Slater?
Apparently, there was neither a meeting to determine who’d replace Slater nor an official announcement to the team. It all happened organically, with Bentley seizing the opportunity after Sunday’s game.
“Most of the stuff we do is not necessarily planned or anything like that,” Bentley said. “We go for how the energy is and how we feel about certain things. I feel like we got a bunch of guys who could’ve (done) it. … Just felt the heat of the moment, and I started speaking.”
Slater, whose role on Jerod Mayo’s staff remains unclear, was in the locker room for Bentley’s speech — and the Patriots legend approved.
“He hit me up with a little text to let me know how big it was,” Bentley said. “Honestly, I had forgotten about it because time went by (after the game). And then he said, ‘Man, that was a good job.’ And I was like, ‘Dang, I didn’t even realize Slate was in the room at the time.’
“So, it was definitely a huge moment. Now, hopefully, we get to say that a lot more times this year.”
Why Patriots Players Believe Bentley Was the Right Choice
As a fourth-time captain, Bentley always made sense as a candidate to replace Slater. From the outside, his top competition seemingly would’ve been center David Andrews or safety Jabrill Peppers, among others.
Peppers, for one, believes Bentley was the obvious pick.
“One of the longest-tenured players here, been a captain multiple times,” Peppers told PFN when asked about Bentley. “He fits the bill to me. I think it was kind of a no-brainer.”
Peppers, who said Bentley did an “exceptional” job, admitted it was “a little bit” weird to see someone other than Slater delivering the “Aww Yeah!” speech. He also said there wasn’t any “formal” process for picking Bentley.
“We just did what felt right — and that felt right,” he said.”
Safety Kyle Dugger also believes Bentley was the right choice.
Set the tone in Cincy.
Sights and sounds from #Kickoff2024 pic.twitter.com/1T7jt80k6g
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) September 11, 2024
“Without question, he’s one of the most vocal guys on our team,” Dugger told PFN. “Always has wise words to tell us — similar to Slate. Without question, he was the one.”
His thoughts on Bentley’s first attempt?
“I think he killed it,” Dugger said. “I think he killed it. I think Slate would be proud of it.”
What’s the History Behind the ‘Aww Yeah!’ Celebration?
The “Aww Yeah!” tradition started over two decades ago. You can click here to watch a great ESPN segment on the history of the victory mantra.
Longtime Patriots linebacker Tedy Bruschi got the ball rolling in 2003. After he retired, he passed the torch to offensive tackle Matt Light, who eventually passed it to Tom Brady, who passed it to Randy Moss.
MORE: Simulate the NFL Season With PFN’s Playoff Predictor
Slater took over in 2011 when he was a 26-year-old pro entering his fourth season. He held the position for 14 consecutive seasons.
Bentley’s style likely will differ from Slater’s. The former has a more fiery personality, whereas the latter took a cerebral, spiritual approach while speaking to what he often called “the congregation.”
It’s worth noting that Bentley, 28, isn’t guaranteed any money in 2025 and is scheduled to hit free agency in 2026, so it might not be long before the Patriots search for a new player to break things down after victories.