Entering his 15th season in the NFL with the Patriots, the 36-year-old is the longest-tenured Patriot and helped to win half of the Patriots’ Lombardi trophies.

Slater still can’t fathom 500 football games.

“That’s unbelievable,” Slater said. “When I think about Mr. Kraft, his legacy goes well beyond just here in Foxborough. I think it extends throughout the NFL. Just what he’s done for this league, the career he’s had as an owner, and what he’s been able to accomplish with this organization. Really, it’s just another notch in the belt for him. Congratulations to him. But 500, that’s a lot of football games. He’s very invested in people. I haven’t played for any other owner, obviously, but just the intentionality with which he tries to connect with his players really says a lot. We know we have an owner that cares about the people here and wants to provide an environment where winning on the field is important, but winning off the field and winning in the community — things like that are just as important.”