Does Matthew Slater Regret Returning To Patriots? Legend Opens Up

Although this Patriots season could end up being the franchise’s worst of the century thus far, Matthew Slater still is enjoying his time in New England.

Slater had a tough decision to make this past NFL offseason. With 15 seasons under his belt and the outlook on the Patriots not terribly bright, it would have made all the sense in the world if Slater called it a career. But unlike Devin McCourty, the longtime special teams ace signed on for another go-around in Foxboro, Mass.

The 38-year-old now finds himself among those leading one of the worst teams in football. There hasn’t been much to get excited about for the Patriots this season, but Slater on Monday confirmed he’s happy with his decision to return.

“Absolutely,” Slater said on WEEI’s “Jones & Mego.” “Look, you never take for granted an opportunity to play the game you love, especially when you’re my age. Obviously, not what I envisioned when I came back — for us to be in this position. But I have no regrets at all and I’m still thankful to be a part of this group, thankful to be working with these guys and hoping we can turn this thing around and finish on a high note.”

A Patriot for nearly two decades, Slater surely values winning more than anything else as a football player. But the future franchise Hall of Famer clearly takes pride in leading and teaching, so perhaps he’s finding solace in mentoring the next stalwarts of the organization.

All things considered, it feels like the upcoming offseason will mark the time Slater finally decides to hang up his pads. And if you ask another Patriots legend, Bill Belichick might consider riding off into the sunset, too.