Matthew Slater Speaks Out After Cutting Ties With Patriots

Matthew Slater retired from the NFL after the 2023 season, but he didn’t leave the Patriots organization.

Slater maintained employment in New England by joining Jerod Mayo’s coaching staff for the 2024 campaign. The special teams legend served as an advisor to his fellow 2008 Patriots draft pick, but he was not retained by Mike Vrabel, Mayo’s successor in Foxboro, Mass.

It’s unclear if Slater still has aspirations to coach in the NFL or any other level. But for now, the 10-time Pro Bowl selection is focused on handling his duties outside of football.

“I’m a dad and a husband, and that is what’s right for me right now,” Slater told WBZ’s Dan Roche on Saturday night. “That’s what I’m most excited about doing. I’ve put that on hold for a lot of years and that’s what I’m going to do in the near future.”

Slater was not the only Patriots legend who wasn’t retained by Vrabel, as Dont’a Hightower and Troy Brown also felt the ripple effects of New England firing Mayo. However, Vrabel reportedly is maintaining an open-door policy at One Patriot Place for all former New England players.

So, while Slater currently does not have a job with the Patriots, he might not become a stranger at Gillette Stadium.