Matthew Slater facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Matthew Slater

Slater with the New England Patriots in 2011
No. 18
Position:	Wide receiver Gunner
Personal information
Born:	(1985-09-09) September 9, 1985 (age 39) Long Beach, California, U.S.
Height:	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight:	205 lb (93 kg)
Career information
High school:	Servite (Anaheim, California)
College:	UCLA (2004–2007)
NFL Draft:	2008 / Round: 5 / Pick: 153
Career history
As player:
New England Patriots (2008)
As coach:
New England Patriots (2024) Special assistant to the head coach
Career highlights and awards
As a player 3× Super Bowl champion (XLIX, LI, LIII) 2× First-team All-Pro (2016, 2019) 3× Second-team All-Pro (2017, 2020, 2021) 10× Pro Bowl (2011–2017, 2019–2021) Bart Starr Award (2017) Art Rooney Award (2021) New England Patriots All-2010s Team New England Patriots All-Dynasty Team First-team All-Pac-10 (2007)
Career NFL statistics
Receptions: 1 Receiving yards: 46 Total tackles: 191 Forced fumbles: 1 Fumble recoveries: 1 Return yards: 637 Total touchdowns: 1 Blocked punts: 1
Player stats at PFR

Matthew Wilson Slater (born September 9, 1985) is a former professional football player. He played for 16 seasons as a wide receiver with the New England Patriots in the National Football League (NFL).

Matthew Slater was mostly a special teams player during his career. He is known as one of the best "gunners" of all time. Gunners are players who run down the field very fast to tackle the player returning a punt or kickoff.

Slater played college football for the UCLA Bruins. He was named first-team All-Pac-10 in 2007. The Patriots picked him in the fifth round of the 2008 NFL draft. He holds the record for the most special teams Pro Bowl selections, with 10. He earned these honors between 2011 and 2021. Slater also won three Super Bowl championships. After he stopped playing, Slater joined the Patriots again as a coaching advisor for one season.

Early Life and High School Sports

Matthew Slater was born in Long Beach, California. His father, Jackie Slater, was also a famous football player. Jackie Slater is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Matthew played football for two years at Servite High School in Anaheim, California. He was a very good wide receiver. As a junior, he caught 23 passes for 333 yards and two touchdowns. In his senior year, he had 39 catches for 707 yards and five touchdowns.

Slater was also a great track athlete in high school. He was very fast, tying for second in the 100 meters race at a big state competition. He also finished fourth in the 200 meters. His relay team won a state championship. He was named the best boys' track and field athlete in Orange County in 2003.

College Football Career

Slater went to the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He studied political science and history while playing for the Bruins football team. In his first year, he did not play in games because of an injury. This is called "redshirting" in college sports.

In 2004, he played in a few games as a freshman. In 2005, he was a backup wide receiver but missed some games due to a leg injury.

By 2006, Slater started to shine on special teams. He was very good at tackling players who were returning kicks. He made nine tackles that year.

In his senior year in 2007, Slater played in 13 games. He made 25 tackles. He also returned 34 kicks for an average of 29 yards per return. He scored three touchdowns from kick returns, which was a UCLA record. His 29-yard average was the best in his conference. He was chosen as a first-team All-Pac-10 selection as a kick returner.

Professional Football Career

Joining the Patriots: 2008–2010

The New England Patriots picked Matthew Slater in the fifth round of the 2008 NFL draft. His father, Jackie Slater, was very happy. He felt it was a perfect fit for his son. Matthew was one of only a few players in NFL history whose father was in the Hall of Fame.

In his first year (2008), Slater played in 14 games. He returned 11 kickoffs for 155 yards. He also made 12 tackles on special teams.

In 2009, Slater played in 14 games again. He made six special teams tackles. He also returned 11 kickoffs for 269 yards.

In 2010, Slater focused mainly on special teams. He led the Patriots with 21 special teams tackles in 15 games.

Becoming a Special Teams Star: 2011–2015

In 2011, his teammates chose Slater to be the special teams captain. He led the team with 17 special teams tackles. He also caught his only career pass from Tom Brady for 46 yards. This play helped the Patriots score their first touchdown of the season. He even played as a safety in some games, forcing a fumble in one.

Slater was chosen for the 2012 Pro Bowl and named an All-Pro special teamer. The Patriots reached Super Bowl XLVI that year, but they lost to the New York Giants.

After the 2011 season, Slater signed a new three-year contract with the Patriots. He continued to be a special teams captain and was chosen for the Pro Bowl and All-Pro team again in 2012.

In 2013, Slater was still a key leader. He made 14 special teams tackles, even though he missed four games due to an injury. He earned his third straight Pro Bowl nomination.

In 2014, Slater signed a contract extension to stay with the Patriots. He was again named All-Pro and went to the Pro Bowl for the fourth time. He won his first Super Bowl ring when the Patriots beat the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XLIX.

Slater continued to be an outstanding special teams player in 2015. He earned his fifth Pro Bowl selection. With his father's seven Pro Bowls, they had 12 Pro Bowl nominations between them.

Super Bowl Wins and Records: 2016–2019

In 2016, Slater signed another contract extension. He continued to be a special teams standout. He earned his sixth Pro Bowl nomination. He was also named First-team All-Pro for the fourth time.

In January 2017, Slater won the Bart Starr Award. This award goes to a player who shows great character and leadership. His father also won this award in 1996, making them the first father-son pair to receive it. Slater helped the Patriots win Super Bowl LI against the Atlanta Falcons. He was the special teams captain and correctly called the coin toss before overtime.

Slater missed some games in 2017 due to a hamstring injury. However, he was still named to his seventh straight Pro Bowl. This tied the record for the most special teams Pro Bowl honors in NFL history. The Patriots reached Super Bowl LII but lost to the Philadelphia Eagles.

In 2018, Slater signed a new two-year contract. He won his third Super Bowl when the Patriots defeated the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LIII.

Slater in 2019

In 2019, Slater scored his first and only NFL touchdown. It happened when he returned an 11-yard blocked punt. He also had his first career blocked punt, which led to a touchdown for his team. He was named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week for this play. Slater was chosen for his eighth Pro Bowl, breaking the record for most special teams Pro Bowl honors.

Later Career and Retirement: 2020–2024

In 2020, Slater signed another two-year contract. After quarterback Tom Brady left the team, Slater became the longest-serving active member of the Patriots. He was named to his ninth 2020 Pro Bowl, extending his own NFL record.

Slater continued to excel on special teams in 2021. He made 11 tackles during the regular season. He was chosen for his tenth Pro Bowl and was a Second-team All-Pro.

In 2022, Slater signed a one-year contract extension. He played in all 17 games, mostly on special teams. He signed another one-year contract in February 2023.

Bill Belichick, the Patriots' head coach, once said that Slater was the greatest special teams player ever. On February 20, 2024, Matthew Slater announced he was retiring from playing football.

Coaching Career

In 2024, the New England Patriots hired Slater to join their coaching staff. He became a special assistant to the head coach, Jerod Mayo. Slater and Mayo were teammates for Slater's entire playing career. Slater's experience as a special teams captain and excellent player helps Mayo with team building and player development.

Personal Life and Community Work

In 2020, Matthew Slater and his wife started the Slater Family Foundation. Slater is a Christian.

In 2013, Slater received the New England Patriots' Ron Burton Community Service Award. This award recognized his strong dedication to helping the community. He often takes part in the team's community events.

Slater also worked with the United Way. He helped recruit many volunteers for community projects in the Boston area. In 2016, he hosted a fundraiser that raised over $60,000 to help victims of Hurricane Matthew. He supports Compassion International, a charity that helps children in need around the world.

See also