Perhaps the greatest core special teams player in NFL history, longtime New England Patriots wide receiver Matthew Slater formally announced his retirement on Tuesday after 16 seasons.
The likely Hall of Famer shared a very heartfelt message with Patriots fans via the team’s Twitter (X) account, thanking the fans and so many more for the success he found in his storied NFL career.
As far as core special teamers go, Slater set the standard, and he won three rings with New England after being drafted in the fifth round out of UCLA in 2008.
He spent his entire career with the Patriots, and his retirement coincided with coach Bill Belichick parting ways with the program.