'Gold Standard!': Patriots Fans Praise Retiring Captain
The writing may have been on the wall for a while now, but when Matthew Slater officially announced his retirement on Tuesday morning, New England Patriots fans were still overcome with emotion.
Slater, who spent his entire 16-year career in New England, may not be the flashiest name from the Patriots' dynasty, but his importance cannot be understated. He earned 10 Pro Bowl selections throughout his illustrious career, and is widely-considered to be among the best special teams players of all time. Even more importantly, Slater was a consistent leader in the locker room and has been a team captain for most of the past decade.
When it became increasingly clear that the Patriots' regular season finale against the New York Jets on Jan. 7 would be Slater's final game, fans knew they had to send him off right.
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New England may have limped to a 4-13 finish this season and the game may have been played in freezing conditions, but that didn't stop the hardcore Patriots fans from seeing a legend one last time.
"While ticket prices were inexpensive, I highly doubt we would have gone to this game if it weren't for the possibility of it being the final game of his career," New England fan Zac Ventola told Patriots.com. "Speaking with Matthew so many times over the years – from being a toddler to a teenager – he always stood out as such an amazing person. While the weather was cold and miserable and the Patriots this past season had been, to put it lightly, underwhelming, I felt it was incredibly important for me to be in the stands cheering him on as a thank-you for everything he has done for myself, my family, and the Patriots.
"It being Slater's final game was not just a factor in us attending the game. It was truly the sole reason."
Bryce Lavoie, another hardcore Patriots fan, said he wanted to attend a snow game for many years, and Slater's final game gave him the perfect chance to do so.
"I knew the last few pieces of the Patriots Dynasty I grew up on were on their last legs, and there had been talk that Slate was hanging up the cleats after this season," Lavoie told Patriots.com. "I would say that definitely was a factor for me and I am blessed to have witnessed his potential last game in that good ol' Patriots Navy Blue."
Patriots fans will obviously miss Slater for his impact on the field, but his impact off of it may leave an even greater lasting impression.
"I feel that Slater set a gold standard for how an NFL player should compose themselves on and off the field," Lavoie said.
"He was a player of the people. He gave back to the community, interacted with fans pregame and postgame, and made it hard for anybody to root against him."
