Matthew Slater, who announces retirement after 16 seasons and 3 Super Bowls, was a beloved Patriot

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — For more than a decade, Matthew Slater was universally celebrated as being the emotional centerpiece of the New England Patriots’ locker room, building a resume as one of the league’s most-decorated special teams players. After 16 NFL seasons, he says it’s time to call it a career. Slater announced his retirement on Tuesday in a letter posted on the team’s website and social media accounts, saying he had “given all that I possibly can to respect and honor the game.” “Though it is time for my...