It was a day of tributes for New England Patriots special teams ace Matthew Slater on Tuesday.
Reactions of love and support came pouring in from all circles of the football world. The Patriots’ official Twitter account released a video of Slater delivering his final locker room speech, and it will have you feeling all sorts of emotions.
Slater was famous for his locker room speeches. He was the leader and heart of the Patriots for many years, in addition to being a reliable special teams player.
Slater delivered his final speech following the Patriots’ regular-season finale against the New York Jets on January 7. His opening words summed up his feelings right from the get-go.
“I don’t want this to be about me now. But, I just want to say thank you, thanks fellas,” said Slater. “Been a lot of fun, man. And no matter what happened this year, I’m proud to say I was a part of this group, and most importantly, I’m proud to know the men that are in this circle.”
Slate’s last locker room speech 🥹 pic.twitter.com/6cNQ3VZ6uR
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) February 20, 2024
Slater’s absence will undoubtedly be felt throughout the organization, in what has been a changing of the guard for the Patriots in many ways.
For this writer, it’s just another piece of his Patriots childhood hanging up the cleats and riding off into the sunset.
