Retirement has to wait: long-time New England Patriots captain Matthew Slater will return for a 16th season with the organization. The team itself made the announcement on Friday afternoon.
Slater, 37, originally joined the team as a fifth-round selection in the 2008 NFL Draft. He has since developed into the NFL’s premier special teams player and a cornerstone of the Patriots organization both on and off the field.
The long-time captain appeared in a combined 248 regular season and playoff games for the organization, ranking second behind only Tom Brady’s 326. A three-time Super Bowl winner and 10-time Pro Bowl selection — the most ever by a special teamer — Slater also has been voted a team captain for the past 12 seasons straight.