Matthew Slater explains why he's returning for 16th season with Patriots
FOXBORO -- Matthew Slater spent the last few months weighing an important career decision: Retire after a decade-and-a-half in football, or return for a 16th season with the New England Patriots. The veteran leader chose the latter, eager to help the Patriots return to relevancy after four straight seasons without a playoff win.
While he gave some serious consideration into hanging up his cleats, Slater ultimately wasn't ready to call it a career. And it only took a brief conversation with Patriots head coach Bill Belichick -- in the hallway inside Gillette Stadium -- to make it official.
"The conversation, I just kind of bumped into him in the hallways. I am here a lot and knew we'd cross paths eventually," Slater joked with WBZ-TV Sports Director Steve Burton at Gillette Stadium. "I just had an opportunity to express how I was feeling and was thankful that he was receptive to my desire to play. I'm glad we could work it out. I'm thrilled and I'm glad everyone here is happy to have me back."
Slater has been a team captain for 12 of his 15 seasons since the Patriots drafted him back in 2008, and he's been a massive piece to New England's success over the years. A 10-time Pro Bowler, Slater has played in 223 regular-season games and 25 playoff games for New England, winning three Super Bowls.
"I'm just a small piece to the puzzle," he said humbly. "The puzzle is much bigger than myself and there are a lot of important pieces. I'm just a small piece."
Slater is a lock for the Patriots Hall of Fame, and has a great case to make the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton one day. So why come back?
"To start with, I still love the game. I still love everything about football; the competition, the camaraderie, the sacrifice, the struggle, and ultimately, being part of the locker room and the relationships you experience being part of a team. I wasn't ready to leave that behind," he told Burton.
Slater also still feels that there is something left to prove, both to himself and others who aren't so certain that Slater should be back for another season.
"The challenge that lies ahead is always exciting. I have a lot to prove to myself. Being 38 in the fall, everyone looking at you like 'Ain't it time to go home?' That is motivation, and so is coming off a year like last year," said Slater. "There is plenty of motivation in terms of football."
The Patriots were a disappointing 8-9 in 2022, missing the playoffs for the second time in the last three seasons. Slater said there was a myriad of reasons for the team's downfall last season, but he remains confident that Belichick and company will be able to turn things around in 2023.
"I just think there were a lot of things we set out to do that we weren't able to accomplish," Slater said of 2022. "The reasons for that, the list is fairly long. But I'm certainly optimistic that we can turn things around. And if I didn't feel that way, I don't know that I would have come back.
"I have a lot of faith in coach's leadership here and I know he's going to find a way to come back and keep swinging, and I know a lot of the guys in the locker room feel the same way," Slater added.