"I have had the privilege of coaching some of the best specialist in the NFL and Stephen Gostkowski is one of them," Patriots coach Bill Belichick said Tuesday in a statement. "Stephen had many highlights over his 14 years as a Patriot and one of the most impressive was the way it began, when he succeeded the most accomplished kicker in NFL history. For some, this may have been too difficult a challenge. But from his rookie year, Stephen exuded a maturity and confidence that demonstrated he was up to the task. He made several crucial kicks his rookie year and established a top level of performance and consistency for years and years to come. Stephen is a teammate who made outstanding contributions over a decade of championship football.