Matthew Slater wasn’t ready to abandon the rare leadership platform his status as a New England Patriots player affords him. That’s why he’s delaying retirement to return for a 16th NFL season.
In an interview with Paul Perillo of Patriots.com, the longtime special teams captain explained his decision to continue playing in 2023 and described the distinct role he serves in New England’s locker room.
“I do believe that my role at this point is not just about covering kicks, blocking for returners,” Slater said. “I think it’s about fostering culture, building relationships and pouring into young men. You can do that in other capacities, but the way you do that as a player is very different. The way you’re able to connect with guys is very different.
“That’s something I still have a lot of passion for, and that’s something I certainly wasn’t ready to walk away from. That factored in huge into the decision, because I feel like there are certain things you can do as a player that you can’t do as an administrator or as a staff member — things I felt like were unfinished in terms of relationships and culture. So that definitely factored in.”
Slater, who turns 38 in September, is coming off another productive season, his 13 special teams tackles ranking second on the team behind rookie Brenden Schooler’s 14. That total also was Slater’s highest since 2015, though he fell short of a Pro Bowl selection for just the second time since 2011.
Overall, though, the Patriots’ kicking game was a mess, with the team ranking dead last in the NFL in Football Outsiders’ special teams DVOA. Their punting was the worst in the league, and they allowed three kick-return touchdowns, including two in a Week 18 loss to the Bills that eliminated New England from playoff contention.
Slater said he’s glad that ugly performance in Buffalo won’t go down as the final game of his career.
“I did take it hard,” Slater told Patriots.com. “Certainly you don’t want to go out like that, but I think I have to be willing and ready to understand that you don’t get to control how this ends. That’s just the nature of the beast. I’ve talked to my dad (Pro Football Hall of Famer Jackie Slater) a lot about that. He didn’t necessarily end the way he wanted to end. A lot of guys … you don’t get to choose how it ends.
“As much as I didn’t want that to be the last chapter to my story, I had to accept that it possibly was going to be. That would have been a hard pill to swallow, so I’m glad that it’s not, and I’m hopeful that I can end things on my own terms. That’s certainly my prayer, so we’ll see how it goes.”
Slater’s new Patriots contract reportedly is a one-year, $2.7 million deal that, thanks to a four-year player designation, will take up just $1.3 million in salary cap space.
It remains to be seen whether the Patriots’ other longtime captain, safety Devin McCourty, will follow Slater’s lead and return for one more season. McCourty said he doesn’t plan to make that decision until around the start of free agency, which opens March 15.
