Matthew W. Slater ’26Hon. address to the 2026 graduates
Matthew W. Slater, retired special teams captain of the New England Patriots, presented this address as the keynote speaker at the Providence College commencement on Sunday, May 17, 2026.
Good afternoon, Providence College. I can’t tell you what an honor it is to be here with you all today. To Father Sicard, the leadership team, and faculty, thank you for this opportunity. There are so many people whose support of our graduates has helped make today possible, and I’d like to take a minute to acknowledge some of you. To everyone here on staff at PC, thank you for your continued support of today’s graduates. To the friends, families, and loved ones of our graduates, your continued support and belief throughout their journey is irreplaceable, and they would not be here today without you. So let’s make some noise for them. But most importantly, to the Class of 2026: You did it! Your hard work, sacrifice, and commitment have all been worth it. You came, you saw, and you conquered.
Now, before I get started, I do want to apologize for one thing. I’m sure some of you heard that some guy from the Patriots was coming to speak at your commencement. Most of you were probably hoping for Drake Maye. I’m sorry to disappoint, but you’re stuck with me. But Drake and I do have a lot of things in common. We’re both six-four, we both have a great head of hair, and clearly I can throw a football 70 yards just like Drake. But no, instead you get the old guy with the glasses. So here I am. All joking aside, I’m truly thankful to be here, and I hope our time together can be memorable.
Now that your time here as students is officially coming to a close, it’s a great opportunity to pause and reflect on what has been while also looking forward to what will be. I remember sitting where you’re sitting almost 20 years ago, listening to people talk about all the opportunities that would be ahead of me, all the places I would go, all the people I would meet, and all the experiences I would have. At some point, I made the mistake of believing that those opportunities would be limitless.
When I got to New England in 2008, I had teammates who were in their 30s, and I remember thinking to myself, if I’m still playing football at that age, I hope someone puts me out of my misery. And then, in what felt like the blink of an eye, there I was — not just 30 years old, but 38 years old and still playing football. One thing kept crossing my mind: how did it go by so quickly? Where did the time go?
As my career began to close, it became a powerful reminder of what Scripture says: that life is but a vapor. Our time here is brief, so while we have it, we must make the most of it. We must live with gratitude, purpose, and intentionality. We must maximize every opportunity while we still have it. Every day is a gift, and we should treat it as such.
Class of 2026, your time is now — your time to lead, your time to serve, your time to impact the world, your time for greatness. It is now. Don’t wait. But then the question is: How do we make our time count? How do we steward the gift that is our life?
Well, I believe there are two things that every one of us has some control over. The first is striving to become the best version of ourselves. I remember my first team meeting with the Patriots. I was sitting in a room full of Patriots legends and all-time greats, and if I’m honest with all of you, I was thinking to myself, surely there’s been a clerical error for them to have given me a contract and be sitting in this room right now. Coach Belichick stood in front of the team and talked about what it takes for us to be successful. He talked about the importance of everyone in the locker room becoming a star in their role, becoming the best version of themselves so the team could become the best version of itself. That always stayed with me.
Every single one of you has been gifted in incredible ways, and I want you to realize something: In the history of the world, there has only been one of you. Your gifts, your perspective, your voice, your experiences — you are literally one of one. There will be moments where you feel pressure to fit into a certain box. You’ll be tempted to compare yourself to others and measure your worth against someone else’s journey. But I want to remind you that God has given you everything you need to become the person he created you to be. The world does not need another imitation of someone else. It needs the best version of you. You are the only person who can impact the world the way that you can. So when you leave this place, work every single day to become the very best version of yourself. Be a star in your role. Live the life that only you can live, because nobody else is you.
The second thing that we can control is how we share our humanity with others. For years, people have asked me about the Patriots and how we were able to sustain two decades of success with Coach Belichick and Tom Brady. And today, I’m finally going to answer the question that everyone asks: Was it Belichick or was it Brady? No, no, I’m not answering that question. We’re not doing that today. But I will tell you this: I believe our greatest strength was our togetherness, our brotherhood, our connectivity, the way we did life together. We laughed together. We cried together. We struggled together. And ultimately, we grew together. We shared a human experience, and we understood that we were part of something bigger than ourselves.
I know that same spirit exists here at Providence College. Community is part of the fabric of this place. You all understand the power of relationships, belonging, and shared humanity. And the truth is, the world desperately needs more of that. We need you to carry that spirit into every room you enter. We need you to magnify the value and dignity that exist in every person. We need you to cultivate and elevate community. We need leaders who acknowledge the uniqueness that God has placed inside each individual and who invite people in through love and humility. The world does not simply need more successful people; it needs more grounded people, more courageous people, more compassionate people, more people willing to lead with conviction, humility, and love.
Class of 2026, I truly believe you are prepared to be those people. You all have a calling on your lives. That calling has already led you here, and now it will lead you into places and spaces you are meant to impact. Be faithful to the call. Be courageous enough to answer it. And when you do, bring others along with you. I’m incredibly encouraged looking out into this crowd today, knowing that the Friars of this class, the Friars of 2026, will be men and women who change the world. May God continue to bless you and keep you as you do so. Class of 2026, we are extremely proud of you, and we believe you are destined for greatness. The time is now. Go Friars, and may God bless you always.
