March 16, 2026
Colleen Claggett/For PhillyVoice
Former Eagles CB Darius "Big Play" Slay has decided to retire. The 2024 Super Bowl champion is one of the franchise's most significant trade acquisitions.
Darius Slay has decided to hang up the cleats.
Slay, who spent five of his 13 NFL seasons in Philly and helped the Eagles win a Super Bowl in 2024, announced Monday that he's retiring from the league.
The man whose nickname was "Big Play" for his game-changing interceptions, and who liked to simply be addressed as "Slay," made the announcement through his social media accounts, with a statement and career highlight reel:
In his statement, Slay wrote, "Football was my peace, my joy, everything. It's hard to say goodbye, but God has a new chapter for me and I'm ready to turn the page and start my new journey."
The accompanying two-minute video is a mashup of Slay's career highlights, including an interception for the Lions in 2016 off then-Eagles rookie quarterback Carson Wentz, the first interception of Wentz's career.
Slay is one of the most important acquisitions in Eagles history. Originally a 2013 second-round draft pick of the Lions out of Mississippi State, he spent his first seven seasons in Detroit and made the Pro Bowl in each of his last three years there before coming to the Eagles via trade before the 2020 season.
The Eagles had long struck out on cornerbacks in the draft and free agency before trading a third- and fifth-round pick to acquire Slay, who then signed a three-year extension worth $50 million.
After the Eagles were abysmal in 2020, they rebounded in 2021 behind new head coach Nick Sirianni and his staff, and with Jalen Hurts as their starting quarterback. By 2022, the Eagles were in the Super Bowl, and Slay made his second straight Pro Bowl and fifth overall.
Slay quickly became one of the most engaging personalities in the locker room, both with his teammates and the media. After the 2022 season, as Slay turned 32, it appeared as if he and the Eagles were about to part ways, as they gave him permission to seek a trade. Instead, the Eagles pivoted and signed him to another three-year extension.
He made another Pro Bowl in 2023 and then helped the Birds win the Super Bowl the following season, pairing with rookie cornerbacks Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean to give the Eagles one of their best overall secondaries in decades.
Slay was released last offseason and signed a one-year deal with the Steelers but played just 10 games for Pittsburgh before being waived. The Eagles, who dealt with inconsistency at No. 2 corner all season, had their eyes on him if he had passed waivers, but the Bills claimed him. Slay never reported to Buffalo and didn't play the rest of the season.
Slay played 74 of his 187 career games with the Eagles, starting 73 of them and hauling in nine interceptions, two of which he returned for touchdowns. He also recovered three fumbles and returned two of them for touchdowns in his Eagles career.
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