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New England Patriots special teams star Matthew Slater pens emotional letter upon retirement

Nikki Chavanelleby:Nikki Chavanelle•02/20/24•

NikkiChavanelle

Matthew Slater
Danielle Parhizkaran/NorthJersey.com, North Jersey Record via Imagn Content Services, LLC

New England Patriots special teams star Matthew Slater announced his retirement with an emotional letter to Pats nation on Tuesday. He wraps up a 16-year NFL career with 10 Pro Bowl nominations, five first-team All-Pro honors and three more second-team All-Pro awards.

The Patriots selected Slater in the fifth round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He’s found a home in Foxboro every season since then.

“In 2008, I came here as a young man with hopes and dreams,” Slater wrote. “In 2024, I can retire knowing this experience has exceeded any hope or dream I ever had.”

“Pats Nation, it has been an honor to represent the silver, red, white, and blue for 16 years,” he continued. “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. You the fans make an NFL player’s experience what it is. Thank you for supporting not only me but our great game.”

Slater was a receiver and part-time defender at UCLA. But he was an ace on special teams, especially on returns. He also boasted excellent NFL bloodlines. His dad, Jackie Slater, was an offensive tackle who played two decades with the Rams on his way to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The Patriots traded up to snag him and it’s paid off ever since.

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Bill Belichick: Slater is the best special teams player of all time

Before he coached his final season for the Patriots, Bill Belichick named-checked a ton of special team all-stars but had Slater at the top of the list.

“When you have the opportunity to coach players that are great in areas, and that of course includes the specialists,” Belichick said. “Guys like Adam Vinatieri and (Stephen) Gostkowski, don’t want to take anything away from them, either. And great punters like (Sean) Landeta and (Dave) Jennings and so forth.

“But the special teams coverage guys — and we’ve had a lot of them — back in the Giants, you know, with Reyna Thompson, and great returners like (Dave) Meggett and (Julian) Edelman and Troy Brown and all that. But as a core special teams player, Slater really is, I’d say, been the best of all time. I hope he gets recognized for that.”