After 16 years in the NFL, New England Patriots special teams legend Matthew Slater is officially retiring from the game of football.
His exit from the Patriots signals a true changing of the guard for a historical franchise that will be nose-deep in a complete rebuild in the offseason.
Not only was Slater one of the franchise’s all-time great locker room leaders, but he’s also the “best core special teams player in NFL history,” per former Patriots coach Bill Belichick. On Tuesday, former Patriots legendary quarterback Tom Brady congratulated Slater for having the “perfect career.”
Those are two of the highest compliments from the greatest quarterback and coach of all time.
They are also well-deserved for a player that had the sort of success Slater had for so many years. Here’s what people were saying on social media, following news of his retirement: