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Tributes Pouring In For Longtime Patriots Star Following Retirement

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FOXBOROUGH, MA – SEPTEMBER 17: Patriots retro Pat Patriot helmets during a game between the New England Patriots and the Miami Dolphins on September 17, 2023, at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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One of the best special teams players in NFL history announced his retirement on Tuesday.

Matthew Slater, who was voted to 10 Pro Bowls, announced his retirement via social media.

It didn’t take long for NFL fans and media members to wish Slater good luck in retirement.

“Bill Belichick called Matthew Slater the best special teams player in NFL history. Slater was voted to 10 Pro Bowls. He has the credentials to follow his father, Jackie Slater, into the Pro Football Hall of Fame,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweeted.

“Matthew Slater was the epitome of what you look for in a player. He’s deserving of a spot one day in the Pro Football Hall of Fame,” another tweet read.

“Matthew Slater was one of the most unique individuals I’ve ever met, let alone covered. The respect he garnered in the Patriots locker room was unmatched. He approached every subject with thought, and he never shied away from tackling a tough subject. An all-time great,” another tweet read.

“Covering Matthew Slater was truly an honor. One of a kind person. Listening to him speak about football and life was something that I’ll never forget, and nobody did his job better in the history of the NFL,” another tweet read.

During his time with the Patriots, Slater also won three Super Bowls and was a five-time First-Team All-Pro.