Patriots special teams ace Matthew Slater announces retirement
Matthew Slater played 16 seasons with the Patriots and made 10 Pro Bowls on special teams.
Matthew Slater, who made 10 Pro Bowls as a special teamer with the Patriots, has announced his retirement according to a post from the Patriots on Twitter.
Slater, 38, spent all of his 16 NFL seasons with New England.
“Pats Nation, it has been an honor to represent the silver, red, white, and blue for 16 years,” Slater wrote. “Thank you for cheering, challenging, and supporting our team each and every year. To the people of New England, thank you for welcoming my family and me into your community and allowing us to call New England home.”
“We are beyond humbled and blessed,” Slater added. “You the fans make the NFL experience what it is. Thank you for supporting not only me but our great game.”
The Patriots selected Slater as a receiver during the fifth round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He only ended up catching one pass over his 16 year career, but made such an impact on special teams that that former coach Bill Belichick once called him “just about the perfect player.”
“To Coach Belichick: Thank you for giving me the opportunity to pursue my childhood dream,” Slater wrote. “Thank you for your belief in me. You took a chance on me and kept me around when many would not have. It was a great honor to know that I played for the greatest coach in the history of our league.”
Slater is the son of Pro Football Hall of Fame offensive lineman Jackie Slater. The elder Slater made seven Pro Bowls and is in the Rams ring of honor.
Matthew Slater said one of his earliest memories of the game was watching his father train in Mississippi.
“There was no crowd to cheer him on. There were no lights flashing,” Slater said. “There were no critics critiquing. Just a man, my hero, dedicating himself to the game he loved so much.”
Slater said his time in New England, which included three Super Bowl titles, was better than he ever could have imagined it to be.
“In 2008, I came here as a young man with hopes and dreams,” Slater said. “In 2024, I can retire knowing that this experience has exceeded any hope or dream I ever had.”
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com