Tom Brady has had hundreds of teammates over the course of his legendary career, but there is no question that special teams legend Matthew Slater ranks among the very best.

Slater officially announced his retirement from the NFL on Tuesday, and Brady paid the highest compliment to his former teammate in an Instagram post.

“A true champion. The best teammate and an even better man. Congratulations on the perfect career,” Brady wrote.

Slater was there for the entire second half of the Patriots’ dynasty, which ended with the team adding three more Super Bowl wins to the three they already had.

Brady saying Slater had the “perfect career” is the highest compliment that could be paid from a man most consider the greatest of all time.

It’s also well-deserved for a player of Slater’s caliber.

And Brady wasn’t the only one handing out major compliments, either.

Bill Belichick also chimed in on Slater’s retirement, calling the 16-year veteran the “best core special teams player in NFL history.”

Slater is clearly a one-of-a-kind talent but even more so, a one-of-a-kind human being.

Story originally appeared on Patriots Wire