One of New England’s key players is calling it a career.
Longtime Patriots special teams ace Matthew Slater announced his retirement on Tuesday morning.
Slater, 38, was a fifth-round pick in the 2008 draft. He played 239 games for New England, becoming a 10-time Pro Bowler, two-time first-team All-Pro, and three-time second-team All-Pro.
“I have given all that I possibly can to respect and honor the game,” Slater said as part of a statement released by the Patriots. “Though it is time for my relationship with the game to evolve, the love I have for it will last a lifetime.
“In 2008, I came here as a young man with hopes and dreams. In 2024, I can retire knowing this experience has exceeded any hope or dream I ever had.”
Slater won three Super Bowls with the Patriots — XLIX over the Seahawks, LI over the Falcons, and LIII over the Rams.
While he’s technically listed as a receiver, he caught just one 46-yard pass in his entire career back in 2011.
In 2023, he did not take an offensive snap while playing 89 percent of the special teams snaps in the 16 games he played.
Slater’s father, Jackie, was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2001 after playing 259 games for the Rams from 1976-1995.
