It’s now official — and quite interesting. Few cornerbacks in Philadelphia Eagles history have made as big an impact as Darius Slay has over the past five years. Even after being released recently, there was speculation he might return to the Eagles. Instead, Slay is staying in Pennsylvania but switching conferences, now set to play for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Before being traded to the Eagles in 2020 for a third-round pick, the team had long struggled in the secondary, often missing on free agents, draft picks, and trades. Since Slay’s arrival, however, Philadelphia has boasted a top-tier pass defense, leading the league in two of the past five seasons. Despite that, the Eagles released the veteran cornerback last week in a financially motivated move.
At 34 years old, Slay had expressed a desire to play at least one more season, and now he’ll do that in Pittsburgh. He holds no resentment toward the Eagles and leaves with appreciation after winning a Super Bowl with the franchise. “This is part of the business,” Slay said. “I’m not hurt or sad. I gave the team and organization everything I had.” He also didn’t close the door entirely on returning someday, but for now, he’s grateful to get a head start on free agency and find a new fit.
Slay acknowledged the team’s desire to get younger and manage salary cap space, which often means moving on from veteran players. His exit leaves the Eagles with potential replacements, including promising draft pick Kelee Ringo. The move made sense from the Eagles’ perspective, but it also gave the Steelers a chance — and they seized the opportunity.
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