Mississippi State great Darius Slay announces retirement from NFL
Following an incredible 13 seasons inside the NFL, Darius Slay is calling it a career.
Slay announced the decision on his social media accounts on Monday morning. His journey in the NFL spanned 13 seasons with three different teams and now he’s moving on from the game he loves.
“Dear football, I wanna thank you for all you’ve done for me. I’ve been blessed to play the game I loved since I was five years old for an amazing 13 years at the highest level. Football was my peach, my joy, everything,” Slay said in a statement. “This game put me in a position to help take care of my family and loved one 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 Brunswich, Ga., with BIG dreams… BigPLay on and off the field! We out.”
The moniker “Big Play Slay” stuck to the talented cornerback for his ability to change the game in the defensive backfield. Former Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen recruited Slay out of Brunswick High School in Georgia but he would start his career at Itawamba Community College in Fulton.
After two strong seasons with the Indians, Mullen stuck with Slay and he recruited him back to Starkville in 2011. Slay was completely under the radar to the national evaluations as he was a low rated three star recruit with no offers. He would quickly make his presence known in Starkville.
Slay showed some things as a junior in 2011 when he made 23 tackles in 13 games and had five pass deflections, an interception and 1.0 tackle for loss. 2012 would be his year.
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Paired with Thorpe Award winner Johnthan Banks, Slay’s numbers would jump. He had 40 tackles on the season with 11 pass deflections and five interceptions. Suddenly, the under-the-radar prospect was making a lot of money for the NFL.
After his performance at the NFL combine, Slay was taken in the second round and 36th overall by the Detroit Lions. That would begin a run that would see Slay become one of the most respected corners in the league.
He followed up a seven-year tenure with the Lions by playing five years with the Philadelphia Eagles. He helped the Eagles to the Super Bowl LIX win and was named to the Pro Bowl six times with an All-Pro selection in 2017.
Through 13 seasons, Slay racked up 655 tackles, 163 passes defended, 28 interceptions, 17.0 tackles for loss, six fumble recoveries and two forced fumbles. Slay finishes his career at No. 7 all-time in NFL history for passes defended.
