“It’s been a great run”: Slater, McCourty share thoughts after possible Foxboro farewell

FOXBORO, Mass — Although New England’s 23-21 win over the Miami Dolphins kept their playoff hopes alive for another week, two Patriots seemed to realize Sunday may have been a farewell of sorts all the same.

Fifteen-year veteran Mathew Slater insisted that “allergies” were the reason for tears in his eyes Sunday- not the possibility of Sunday’s win being his last home game in Foxboro.

The 37-year-old Slater, drafted in the fifth round of the 2008 NFL draft, is the longest-tenured member of the Patriots. The second longest-tenured Patriot, 13-year-veteran safety Devin McCourty also acknowledged that Sunday may have been his last appearance as a player in front of the Foxboro faithful. McCourty’s family was in attendance Sunday, including fellow Patriot Super Bowl champion and twin brother Jason.

Slater and McCourty have played a combined 475 career games with New England, a total that includes five Super Bowl appearances and eight AFC Championship Games.

Patriots head coach Bill Belichick lofted praise toward the pair of three-time Super Bowl champions in his postgame press conference.

“What those two guys have done, what they mean to this organization, what they mean to me personally, what they’ve done here, it’s pretty impressive, pretty elite,” said Belichick.

Slater, the final person to speak in the team’s postgame huddle for a decade, has been the AFC’s special teams Pro Bowl selection 10 times, the most ever for a special teams player.

“I mean, I don’t know if there’s ever been or ever going to be a player than Matt Slater as an overall special teams player and the leadership he brought to the team,” said Belichick.

“I certainly took time to appreciate being in this stadium and running out of that tunnel today. Saw a couple of signs that were thanking D-Mac [Devin McCourty] and myself,” said Slater. “I don’t know what either of us have in store but I think when you get to this stage of it, you try to take in every moment and savor it. I think some of the players and coaches knowing that I’m not sure of what my future have expressed gratitude and that meant a lot to me, and just told me they loved me and it just means so much, it really does.”

Despite appearing in the Pro Bowl as a rookie corner, McCourty found his ultimate home in New England as a safety. The 2010 first-round pick has racked up 32 career interceptions and 966 tackles as the centerfielder for the Patriots’ defense.

“It’s been a great run. To come out here, if this was the last one, I think to be able to leave Gillette with a win, very similar to how my first-ever game was a win,” said McCourty. “I’ve had a lot of fun. These guys have been awesome to go out here and compete with. You never know how football goes. But I’d be lying if I said I didn’t think about it before the game.”

“Devin has done about everything a player could do for this program... Devin came in as a corner, went to the Pro Bowl, moved to safety, led the defense from the safety position from his second year on. His off-the-the field leadership, on-the-field leadership is superior, as good as anybody I’ve ever coached at that position. He does everything right. He’s done everything right since he’s been here” said Belichick. “Yeah, he’s a special one. He’s a special one.”

Both Slater and McCourty hope to ensure any retirement plans are put off for at least another week when they head to Buffalo next Sunday. If New England wins, the Patriots will claim the AFC’s seventh and final playoff spot.

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