Even though he did not make any public commitments heading into the final game of the New England Patriots’ 2023 season, Matthew Slater knew that it would be the last of his storied career. The 16-year veteran was about to head off into the sunset, a move that was officially announced on Tuesday.
The Patriots already knew what was about to happen back on January 7, when the New York Jets visited Gillette Stadium for the regular season finale. Their players and coaches all donned No. 18 during warmups, and Slater was mic’d up for the contest.
Following his retirement announcement, that video was released by the team. Safe to say, it is an emotional rollercoaster ride — from teammates and opponents alike honoring the 38-year-old, to his final farewell in the locker room after the 17-3 defeat.
“I don’t want this to be about me now, but I just want to say thank you,” Slater told his teammates after his 264th game wearing a Patriots uniform.
That day, the thank-yous and the appreciation was coming from all directions. Fellow Patriots special teamer Brenden Schooler, for example, claimed that he would not know “how I’m going to do it without you.”
Meanwhile, Jets special teamer Justin Hardee told a story how his former coach, ex-Patriot Larry Izzo, would play tape of Slater during his rookie minicamp — an event Hardee claimed changed the course of his career. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers, meanwhile, called Slater a future Hall of Famer during a brief pre-game encounter.
Whether or not he will end up in Canton remains to be seen. There is no question, however, that Slater left his mark on the game both in New England and beyond.
Look no further than the mic’d up video from his final career game as proof of that.
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