Longtime New England Patriots special teams contributor and captain Matthew Slater announced his retirement Tuesday after 16 NFL seasons.
Called "just about the perfect player" by former Patriots coach Bill Belichick, Slater won three Super Bowl championships with New England and was part of five AFC championship teams.
Slater was officially listed as a wide receiver but became a special teams ace in the NFL. He made 10 Pro Bowls – a record for special teams players and was a two-time first-team All-Pro selection (2016, 2019). A "gunner," Slater was charged with lining up wide on punts and sprinting down the field to corral the opposing team's returner.