With the incoming of a new head coach, significant changes will always be made to the coaching staff that oversaw the team the previous season. That's, of course, the case with Mike Vrabel, as he has replaced almost every staffer who worked under Jerod Mayo during the 2024 season.
That's how quickly things move in the NFL, so it's nothing unexpected. However, he has chosen to retain a few coaches from the last regime, like special teams coordinator Jeremy Springer and offensive assistant Ben McAdoo, with most of the other positions already filled.
We've already seen that some Patriots fan favorites, like first-time inside linebackers coach Dont'a Hightower, won't be sticking around for another season, and the latest news from ESPN's Mike Reiss suggests another ex-player will be looking for a job elsewhere next season.
Matthew Slater will reportedly not remain on the Patriots staff under Mike Vrabel in 2025
Among the litany of information shared in his Sunday Notes piece this week, Reiss revealed that Slater will not be returning to his role as the special assistant to the head coach, nor will he be retained in another role now that Vrabel has taken over.
"In his SiriusXM NFL Radio interview, Maye noted how Matthew Slater was a top mentor to him during his rookie season, which included "all aspects of life."
That leaves a significant void for Maye in 2025. Slater was serving as the special assistant to former head coach Jerod Mayo, a position that didn't carry over to the new regime."
It is hard to say whether or not that's a good decision, as we don't know just how much influence Slater had in his role since it wasn't super specific. However, he is perhaps the best special teamer to ever play in the NFL with plenty of wisdom to share with a young and upcoming team, so it would seem more beneficial than not to keep him around for another year.
Maybe it was Slater's decision to leave the team instead. It's possible he didn't enjoy coaching as much as he thought he would; we'll never really know. But hopefully, he will still make some appearances every now and then, as he is not only a fan favorite but a team favorite who has made a tremendous impact on players, even rookie quarterback Drake Maye, which is significant and invaluable.