Tom Brady and Jerod Mayo were two of five New England Patriots captains for the 2011 season, the team announced on Thursday. Logan Mankins, Vince Wilfork, Devin McCourty and Matthew Slater round out the group of team captains.
Brady, Wilfork, Mankins and Mayo all make sense, leaving McCourty and Slater as the surprise picks. McCourty came on strong in his rookie season with the team, recording seven interceptions and 60 tackles (13 assists) in 16 games.
Slater, a third-year veteran, was named the special teams captain. In three seasons in New England, Slater has returned 22 kicks for 424 (19.3 yards/return) in 43 career games.
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