A fellow California native congratulated former UCLA Bruin Matthew Slater on his retirement.
After Slater retired from the NFL following. terrific run with the New England Patriots, former teammate Tom Brady congratulated him in a post on Instagram.
In the post, Brady said, “A true champion. The best teammate and an even better man. Congratulations on the perfect career.”
Slater caught only one pass in his NFL career, on the receiving end of a Brady pass on Monday Night Football in 2011. The 46-yard catch would be his biggest play on offense, but his contributions on offense do not capture the monumental impact Slater had on the Patriots in the locker room and on the field.
Tom Brady shouts out fellow #Patriots legend Matthew Slater on his retirement:
“A true champion 🏆
The best teammate and an even better man. Congratulations on the perfect career.”
(IG: @tombrady) pic.twitter.com/4ECO8DNBS2
— Mike Kadlick (@mikekadlick) February 20, 2024
A co-captain with Brady since 2010, Slater was instrumental to the Patriots dynasty of the 2010s, winning three Super Bowls during his tenure. Making plays in the kicking game and at the center of one of the best special teams units of the decade, Slater earned his stripes doing the dirty work.
Today, Slater received recognition from one of his teammates and an all-time great in the NFL.