NFL veteran Darius Slay announced his retirement on Monday, bringing a 13-year professional career to a close.
The former Mississippi State defensive back was drafted in the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions, where he spent seven seasons before moving to the Philadelphia Eagles in 2020. Slay spent five years with the Eagles and helped the team reach two Super Bowls, winning in 2025 behind a dominant performance against the Kansas City Chiefs.
“Dear football, I wanna thank you for all you’ve done for me,” Slay wrote a social media post announcing his decision. “I’ve been blessed to play the game I loved since I was 5 (years) old for an amazing 13 years at the highest level. Football was my peace, my joy, my everything. This game put me in a position to help take care of my family and loved ones and I’m forever grateful. 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. To all my BigPlay fans, I will always appreciate the love and support y’all have given to me. I couldn’t have done it without you. Just a kid from Brunswick, Ga., with BIG dreams…BigPlay on and off the field! We Out.”
Slay earned a First-Team All-Pro selection in 2017, a season in which he also led the league in interceptions, and was a six-time Pro Bowler with the Lions and Eagles.
Slay spent most of the 2025 season with the Pittsburgh Steelers, appearing in nine games before his release on December 2. He was claimed off waivers by the Buffalo Bills, but did not report to the team.
Slay played two seasons at Itawamba Community College before picking up an offer from Dan Mullen to play for State and formed a standout partnership at corner opposite Jim Thorpe winner Jonathan Banks in 2011 and 2012. He was a Second-Team All-SEC selection as a senior, and would tally 64 tackles, six interceptions and two touchdowns in his two years as a Bulldog.
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