(RNS) — Matthew Slater, a wide receiver who was picked 158th in the National Football League’s 2008 draft but went on to win three Super Bowls with the New England Patriots, announced his retirement Tuesday (Feb. 20). In typical fashion, he led his announcement with an acknowledgment of his faith.“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith,” Slater said in his retirement announcement, quoting from the New Testament’s Second Letter of Paul to Timothy.
The 38-year-old Slater, whom longtime Patriots coach Bill Belichick once referred to as a “perfect player,” spent 16 seasons with the team, earning the respect of teammates and opponents alike for his excellence on special teams, doing the sometimes anonymous work of covering punts and kickoffs.
His excellence on the field led to predictions that he could one day join his father, Jackie Slater, in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Off the field, the younger Slater was praised by teammates, coaches and fans alike for his work as a good citizen in the locker room and in the community.
“I don’t want to make this about me,” he told teammates after his last game. “I just want to say thank you.”
Slater told Religion News Service that he learned as much from losing the Super Bowl in 2011 as from winning the big game three times.
“Our league and our culture put so much into winning and losing and being a champion,” said Slater, who grew up in a nondenominational church and now attends a Reformed-leaning evangelical church. “If you cling to things that are goin …
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The 38-year-old Slater, whom longtime Patriots coach Bill Belichick once referred to as a “perfect player,” spent 16 seasons with the team, earning the respect of teammates and opponents alike for his excellence on special teams, doing the sometimes anonymous work of covering punts and kickoffs.
His excellence on the field led to predictions that he could one day join his father, Jackie Slater, in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Off the field, the younger Slater was praised by teammates, coaches and fans alike for his work as a good citizen in the locker room and in the community.
“I don’t want to make this about me,” he told teammates after his last game. “I just want to say thank you.”
Slater told Religion News Service that he learned as much from losing the Super Bowl in 2011 as from winning the big game three times.
“Our league and our culture put so much into winning and losing and being a champion,” said Slater, who grew up in a nondenominational church and now attends a Reformed-leaning evangelical church. “If you cling to things that are goin …nnDiscussion:nn” ai_name=”RocketNews AI: ” start_sentence=”Can I tell you more about this article?” text_input_placeholder=”Type ‘Yes'”]