An emotional Matthew Slater made his appreciation clear.
There’s a strong possibility the 38-year-old Slater, who concluded his 16th season with the New England Patriots, could retire this offseason. Slater contemplated retirement last offseason, but returned for New England’s disappointing 2023 campaign.
Immediately after the Patriots’ Week 18 loss to the New York Jets at Gillette Stadium, Slater posted this video on the team’s account.
“Just want to say thank you guys for everything,” Slater said, per the team. “Sorry this season didn’t go the way we wanted to. But I got a lot of faith in this team moving forward. God bless you guys, and as always, go Pats.”
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Slater expanded on his appreciation when he spoke with reporters after the game.
“Message to the fans is just thank you,” Slater told reporters, per the team. “I came here, I had no expectations. I didn’t think I was going to be here very long. I was just a special teams player. I’m not the quarterback, I’m not catching balls, I’m not sacking the quarterback. So to be embraced by the fans in the community the way my family and I have, it means a lot.
“I thank them for that, I thank them for their endless support for our team. I thank them for challenging our team, spurring us on. But to be embraced by this community and this fanbase has meant a great deal to myself and my family. So, thank you.”
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Patriots fans weren’t the only ones to shower Slater in praise. Current teammates honored Slater with their pregame sweatshirts while past teammates took to social media to give Slater a shoutout. Slater’s family also was in attendance and videos captured an emotional scene pregame.
Slater on Sunday would not comment on whether or not it was his final game.
The Patriots concluded the season 4-13 and are locked into a top-three pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. With the futures of Slater and head coach Bill Belichick up in the air, it clearly would mark a new chapter for the organization.
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Featured image via Eric Canha/USA TODAY Sports Images
