Patriots captain Matt Slater returning for 16th NFL season
By KYLE HIGHTOWER
AP Sports Writer
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Matt Slater is coming back. The 37-year-old longtime Patriots captain and two-time All-Pro says he is returning for his 16th NFL season in 2023. A fifth-round draft pick by New England in 2008 and son of Hall of Famer Jackie Slater, Slater has grown into a locker room leader and embodiment of Bill Belichick’s “Patriot Way” culture. Along the way Slater has been voted as the special team captain 12 times while winning three Super Bowl rings. The longest-tenured player on the 2022 roster, he has appeared in 222 games and is second only to Tom Brady in games played for the Patriots. He hasn’t missed a game over the past five seasons.