Matthew Slater is the longest tenured player on the Patriots right now, as he's wrapping up his 13th NFL season.
But, will there be a 14th?
"You know, I don’t know," Slater said via video conference Wednesday.
The Patriots special teams captain said he will take some time this offseason to ponder it, but if he does play in 2021 it will only be with the Patriots. It is worth noting he's under contract for one more season.
"That’s something that Shahrzad [his wife] and I are going to have to pray about and we are going to have to see what we feel like is best for our family," Slater said. "And obviously there’s got to be a desire from the organization to want me back here. I don’t see myself playing anywhere else. So we’ll be praying about that, like we have been the last couple years. If we feel the Lord is telling us to do something, we want to be obedient in that way. I’m certainly thankful for all the things that I’ve been able to continue to do off the football field – relationally, and pouring into guys, and that will all factor in. And then obviously, physically and opportunity wise. We’ll cross that road when we get to it. I think now it’s important, as I mentioned in the last question, to finish out what we started here in 2020 and see where we are when the time comes.”
Slater, 35, is still playing at a high level as he was named to his ninth Pro Bowl.