Beloved Patriots fan favorite may be returning to team after all

It's been a tough few years for a very specific generation of Patriots fans. For those who grew up watching the Pats consistently win 12 games for the first two decades of their life, the slow drip departure of the most famous names in franchise history has been a tough pill to swallow.

So you'll understand why Tuesday's small bit of Patriots news – first tweeted out by the Boston Herald's Doug Kyed – is a much-appreciated, well-received moment of relief for a fanbase that's had a rough go of it since Tom Brady left in 2020.

Beloved Patriots fan favorite may be returning to team after all

Slater returning to the team, in whatever capacity that "advisor" actually means – is great news for a couple reasons. The first is that it simply never hurts to have a future Hall of Famer on the coaching staff. As a special teamser, Slater was elected to 10 Pro Bowls, two First Team All-Pros, and three Second Team All-Pros. Belichick has consistently gone on record to say that Slater's one of the best players that he's ever had, which says a lot coming from a guy who's coached guys like Brady, Randy Moss, and Lawrence Taylor.

Secondly, on a more sentimental level, it's just nice to have another guy from the Golden Era still around the team. Mayo was certainly a part of that as well, but there aren't too many people more synonymous with the Patriots' dynasty than Slater. Having one of the best players to ever play his position on staff – who also provides a good bit of nostalgia – is a win-win. Maybe Slater can help advise them on what to do with the third overall pick in a few weeks.