Few would have been surprised if Matthew Slater retired this offseason.
The New England Patriots' long-time special teams ace has already won three Super Bowls and earned 10 Pro Bowl nods over 15 NFL seasons, so why return at age 37 to a squad that missed the postseason in 2022 and has a shaky outlook for 2023?
Slater recently offered some insight into his decision to return to the Patriots for the 2023 season -- and it appears the opportunity to provide locker room leadership played a big role.
"I do believe that my role at this point is not just about covering kicks, blocking for returners," Slater told Patriots.