New England Patriots long time special teams weapon Matthew Slater announced his retirement through the team’s social media accounts Tuesday morning, and his former coach Bill Belichick responded with a touching tribute.
Slater opened his retirement quoting the New Testament: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 2 Timothy 4:7.”
The retiring star then paid tribute to his father, NFL Hall of Famer Jackie Slater, writing that his dad used to take him to the Meridian, Mississippi, fields where he trained.
“For the last 25 years of my life, 16 of them as a New England Patriot, I have been incredibly blessed to be able to emulate the man I saw on those fields in Meridian by playing the game that I love so much,” he wrote. “I have given all that I possibly can to respect and honor the game. Though it is time for my relationship with the game to evolve, the love I have for it will last a lifetime.”
A message from Matthew Slater. pic.twitter.com/diVYMtAapu
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) February 20, 2024
Slater also heaped praise on his longtime head coach Bill Belichick, calling it “a great honor to know that I played for the best coach in the history of our league.”
FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – JANUARY 07: Matthew Slater #18 of the New England Patriots and CEO of the New England Patriots Robert Kraft speak before the game at Gillette Stadium on January 07, 2024 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. Winslow Townson/Getty Images
Belichick himself took the opportunity to reciprocate with an uncharacteristically long and surprisingly sweet statement.
“Matthew Slater deserves every accolade someone could receive. He is a once in a lifetime person, and the best core special teams player in NFL history,” he said in a statement shared to Twitter by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. (RELATED: Star NFL Running Back Reportedly Asks For A Bigger Role, Will New Regime Oblige Him?)
FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – AUGUST 26: Head coach Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots talks with Matthew Slater #18 during Patriots Training camp at Gillette Stadium on August 26, 2020 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. Maddie Meyer/Getty Images
“His daily, weekly, and yearly work ethic, paved the way for his unsurpassed performance,” Belichick continued. “Matthew is the finest example of what an intense competitor and human being should be. He has been a great role model for the teams (players & coaches) that I have coached. Matthew is exceedingly kind, and supremely loved and respected by all his peers. I am one of many who feel incredibly blessed to be his teammate, coach, and friend.”
Bill Belichick statement on Matthew Slater: “Matthew Slater deserves every accolade someone could receive. He is a once in a lifetime person, and the best core special teams player in NFL history. His daily, weekly, and yearly work ethic, paved the way for his unsurpassed… pic.twitter.com/myW1BeuuDa
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 20, 2024
Wow. This is all from the famously taciturn guy who said “We’re on to Cincinnati” as the answer for like 15 straight questions.
The news that Belichick has a heart is the real revelation here, but can we also take a minute to appreciate Slater’s farewell message too?
Dude just put on a masterclass in saying goodbye. I highly encourage everyone to read it in its entirety. Slater thanked his family, his wife, his coach, the Patriots owner, their fans, the staff. Heck, everyone from the trainers to the janitors got a shoutout. And it was all bookended with Bible quotes. If Slater put half as much thought and care into his career as he did into this letterm it’s no wonder the guy went to 10 Pro Bowls.