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Matthew Slater discusses leaving Patriots organization after 1 season on Jerod Mayo’s staff
"They allowed me to live out my childhood dream and I’m very thankful for that."
Matthew Slater’s extended tenure in Foxborough has come to a close.
After winning three Super Bowls and earning five All-Pro nods as the Patriots’ special-teams ace from 2008-23, the veteran leader made the switch to coaching in 2024, serving as a “special assistant” to first-year head coach Jerod Mayo.
But with Mayo fired after one season as head coach and Mike Vrabel overhauling New England’s coaching staff, Slater was not retained on a revamped personnel group for the 2025 season.
It’s an unfortunate ending for Slater and several other ex-Patriots like Dont’a Hightower, who was also not retained by Vrabel after one season as the team’s inside linebackers coach.
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But, speaking with WBZ’s Dan Roche at the Boston Winter Ball on Saturday, Slater stressed that his exit from the Patriots organization will free up more time to spend with his family.
“I’m a dad and a husband, and that is what’s right for me right now,” Slater told Roche. “That’s what I’m most excited about doing. I’ve put that on hold for a lot of years and that’s what I’m going to do in the near future.”
Even with Slater now charting out a new chapter in his life following 17 seasons in New England, the 39-year-old left an impressive legacy in Foxborough.
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Considered one the greatest “gunners” on special teams in NFL history, Slater could join his father, Jackie, in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in due time given his credentials.
But beyond his league-wide accolades, Slater was a foundational piece on the second leg of New England’s 20-year dynasty. He served as a team captain every season from 2011-23.
Even with the struggles that plagued the Patriots during the 2024 season, Slater received plenty of praise from Patriots players for his leadership on Mayo’s coaching staff.
“I think Matthew Slater was great,” Maye told Sirius XM’s Amber Theoharis and Kirk Morrison earlier this month, as transcribed by MassLive’s Mark Daniels. “He was an All-Pro for all [those] years, a great, great guy to have in the locker room. Great guy. He helped around as a coach, and is a great mentor, follower — in all aspects of life he was awesome.”
As Slater embarks on a new journey, he again stressed to Roche that he’s proud of the legacy he’s leaving in New England.
“I’ve had a tremendous experience as a Patriot. They’ve been nothing but good to me,” Slater said. “They allowed me to live out my childhood dream and I’m very thankful for that. I’m thankful for all the Kraft family has done for me and I don’t see that changing anytime soon.
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“I’ll always be a Patriots fan and always support the team. Right now, it’s important that I support my family and that’s what I’m going to do moving forward.”
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