Why Matthew Slater Sought Out Tom Brady After Bucs-Patriots Game

Bill Belichick wasn’t the only member of the Patriots who made a point to catch up with Tom Brady late Sunday night.

After Tampa Bay held on for a narrow win over New England at Gillette Stadium, Matthew Slater also went out of his way to share a moment with the future Hall of Fame quarterback. Slater and Brady played 12 seasons together in Foxboro, and both were instrumental in three Super Bowl victories over that span.

Speaking with the media Monday, Slater explained why having a postgame exchange with Brady was important to him.

“I don’t know if we will ever share a football field again, that’s just reality,” Slater told reporters, per ESPN’s Mike Reiss. “And I wanted to cherish that a little bit.”

Slater is right. New England’s special teams ace turned 36 last month and his NFL future even beyond this season is uncertain. The earliest the Patriots and the Bucs could meet again — barring a Super Bowl matchup — is the 2023 season, and that head-to-head tilt only will happen if the teams finish in the same slot in their respective divisions in 2022.

Of course, one day down the road, Brady and Slater will be teammates again. Both are sure-fire locks for the Patriots Hall of Fame.