Will Sunday's regular season finale between the New England Patriots and New York Jets be the last time we see Matthew Slater play in an NFL game?
Slater has not yet made an official announcement about his future, but it's fair to wonder if the longtime Patriots captain and special teams ace will call it a career after wrapping up his 16th career season.
In addition to a possible video tribute of some kind, could we see the Patriots honor or showcase Slater with something in the actual game? Maybe like what Bill Belichick did with quarterback Doug Flutie when he did a drop kick during his final regular season game in 2005?
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Based on the following post on X by Christopher Price of The Boston Globe, it sounds like the Patriots could have something special planned.
Slater is technically a wide receiver, and although he very rarely takes snaps at that position, maybe they could try to throw him a pass or two. What about a jet sweep play? There are a few different options for head coach Bill Belichick and his staff to consider.
Slater is one of the best special teams players of his era and has a strong case to go into the Hall of Fame. Special teams have played a key role in the Patriots' success over the last two decades, and Slater's contributions are a huge reason for that.
If Slater does retire in the coming weeks or months, the Patriots will have zero players remaining from their Super Bowl XLIX-winning roster.