Who Should I Start? Matthew Slater or DeAndre Hopkins

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 7, 4:21 PM

Tennessee Titans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins caught seven of his 10 targets for 46 yards and a touchdown in the Week 18 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. Hopkins notably earned a $500,000 bonus for reaching 75 receptions on Sunday. He also secured a $1 million bonus for reaching 1,050 receiving yards. It was a great day for the veteran, and his season will come to a close with a total of 75 catches for 1,057 yards and seven touchdowns. Assuming he's in Tennessee next year, he'll continue to operate as the clear No. 1 wide receiver -- presumably for quarterback Will Levis.