After the season ended, Matthew Slater didn’t say something definitive with respect to his future, however he positive gave the impression of somebody who was headed towards retirement.
Based on an merchandise by ESPN’s Mike Reiss in his notes column Sunday, nonetheless, which may not be such a positive wager.
Apparently, Slater has been displaying up at Gillette Stadium in current weeks.
Perhaps meaning nothing. Maybe the Patriots’ particular groups captain, who’ll flip 38 in September, is tying up some unfastened ends.
Or it’s additionally doable he’s not fairly prepared to hold it up after 15 NFL seasons, all of these coming with the Patriots. Maybe the door’s not shut and there’s a sixteenth season in his future. And perhaps, Slater didn’t need his remaining sport to be one the place the opposing group — the Bills — scored two particular groups touchdowns in opposition to his unit on kick returns.
Technically, Slater is a free agent, nevertheless it’s laborious imagining the Patriots not wanting the 10-time Pro Bowl choice and three-time Super Bowl champion again if he’s keen. Same with defensive captain Devin McCourty, who can be weighing his choices.
Slater had contemplated retirement after final season, however finally re-signed with the Patriots.
The veteran chief mirrored again on his profession late within the season, speaking about how a lot his father, Pro Football Hall of Fame Jackie Slater, had on him.
“My dad told me when I was young if I was going to play the game that there’s a certain way to play it, a certain way to go about it,” he mentioned. “I tried to make him proud, represent his name the right way because that’s how he did it. That’s what it’s always been about for me.”
Slater additionally spoke about what the sport has meant to him.
“I love everything about it. The competition. The brotherhood. The struggle. The ups and downs,” he mentioned. “For me, at heart, I’m just a kid following his dad’s footsteps. That’s been the most special thing for me: do what the most important person in my life, as a young person, did. That’s the biggest honor.”
Source: www.bostonherald.com