Steelers CB Darius Slay Gives Heartfelt Goodbye to Philly
Newly acquired Pittsburgh Steelers cornrback Darius Slay wrote a heartfelt goodbye letter on Instagram to the city of Philadelphia and the Eagles organization on Monday.
Metcalf addressed the Philadelphia thankful, thanking them for five seasons of support and for the incredible 2024 Super Bowl run.
Slay, 34, won his first Super Bowl ring this past year, playing a key part on Vic Fangio’s defense and mentoring young cornerbacks Cooper DeJean and Quinyon Mitchell.
“Thank u Philly for all the love, support and the incredible journey we’ve shared together, from the challenges we faced to the good times we celebrated, each moment contributed to some great memories and our unforgettable championship,” Slay wrote.
“I truly appreciate the Eagles organization for the opportunity that helped shape me into the man I am today, including the leader and team captain I’ve become. It’s been a true blessing to play alongside some of the best teammates and fans in the world! Philly will always hold a special place in my heart. FlyEaglesFly! BigPlay out!!”
Slay provides a much-needed upgrade in the Steelers secondary, as outside cornerback Donte Jackson and slot cornerback Cam Sutton struggled immensely down the stretch last season.
The 34-year-old cornerback paired with Joey Porter Jr. gives the Steelers a dynamic cornerback duo. Slay will also be a mentor for the young Porter.
“Rod Woodson, that was my mentor coming in when I got drafted,” Slay said. “When I got drafted I stayed at his house for about a month and a half, learned football from him.
Slay was connected to the former All-Pro Steelers cornerback Rod Woodson by his agent Euguene Parker. Parker also represented Woodson.
“(Woodson) was telling me to always be healthy, stay out of the tub, basically make sure you’ll be able to play,” Slay said. “He taught me a lot of formations, route recognitions, and mostly he had me on the track a lot. Other than that he just coached me ball and just taught me about life.”
Slay hopes to give that same kind of wisdom to Porter and the Steelers young cornerbacks.
“That’s the best part of my job,” Slay said. “That’s one of the biggest roles I like to take, is mentoring young guys, because a guy did it for me. . . . I’m here to always help them get better. You ask me about any DB in the game, I can tell you what their weakness is and what their strength is, because that’s how much tape I watch of DBs. It’s going to be fun.”
The veteran defensive back has said he wants to play at least one more season. Slay spent the last five years with the Eagles as a starting outside cornerback. He started 14 games for Philly this regular season, plus another four on the Eagles’ run to their Super Bowl LIX championship. He finished the regular season with 49 tackles, three tackles for loss, 13 passes defended and one forced fumble.
Slay also had an interception in the Eagles’ Wild Card win over the Green Bay Packers.
Slay came to the Eagles in 2020, when current Steelers assistant general manager Andy Weidl was the Philadelphia vice president of player personnel.
Before his time with Philly, Slay spent seven seasons with the Detroit Lions, who selected him out of Mississippi State in the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft. Slay has been a six-time Pro Bowler and was an first-team All-Pro with the Lions in 2017, when he led the NFL in interceptions.
Back in 2023, several teams inquired about Slay’s availability. He and the Eagles eventually agreed to restructure the final year of his contract and sign a two-year extension, but he revealed he almost became a Steeler.
“Mike Tomlin, one of the best coaches in the NFL, man,” Slay said on his podcast, “Big Play Slay.” “What’s so crazy is I almost was going to them, too. They hit me up, too. T.J. Watt text me, Cam Heyward text me, and they talked about me coming there. Before I ever got to make a decision, they signed Pat Pete, so they kind of chilled out for a minute. But I was almost a Pittsburgh Steeler as well.”
Two years later, Slay ultimately lands in the Steel City. He’ll now have the opportunity to play for Mike Tomlin.