The NFL lost an all-time great to retirement on Tuesday.
Matthew Slater, the former UCLA Bruin and ten-time Pro Bowl special teams player, announced his retirement after sixteen seasons in the NFL, all with the New England Patriots. A fifth-round pick in the 2008 NFL Draft, Slater played his career in New England primarily on special teams.
Slater’s illustrious career on special teams earned him five First-team All-Pro selections and helped the Patriots to three Super Bowl victories. A captain of the team and beloved former Bruin, Slater grew up in Anaheim, California, while his father, Jackie Slater, played running back for the Los Angeles Rams.
Here is what social media had to say about Slater and his potential Hall of Fame-worthy career.