Who Should I Start? Matthew Slater or Chris Godwin

Tuesday, February 20, 12:01 PM

New England Patriots wide receiver and special teams ace Matthew Slater announced on Tuesday that he is officially retiring from professional football. Slater holds the record for most special teams Pro Bowl appearances with 10. "I have given all that I possibly can to respect and honor the game," Slater wrote. "Though it is time for my relationship with the game to evolve, the love I have for it will last a lifetime." The former fifth-round pick by the Patriots in 2008 out of UCLA spent his entire 16-year career in New England and won three Super Bowls with the team and is the franchise's all-time leader in special teams tackles. Slater played in 239 games with the Patriots, second in team history behind only Tom Brady (285). Slater's 25 career postseason games rank ninth-most in NFL history. The 38-year-old was a team captain for 13 straight seasons.

Sunday, January 21, 9:49 PM

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin looked to be the top option for this offense during the month of December. However, Godwin quickly ceded his role as top wideout to Mike Evans in the playoffs. On Sunday, Godwin hauled in four of his eight targets for 40 yards in the loss to the Detroit Lions. It was a fitting end for Godwin who was non-explosive throughout most of the season. He managed to finish his season with 83 receptions for over 1,000 receiving yards, but only found the end zone twice. Evans is a free agent this offseason, which means Godwin could end up as the No. 1 option for Tampa Bay next season.