Darius Slay, 6-time Pro Bowl cornerback, announces retirement after 13 NFL seasons

Darius Slay, a six-time Pro Bowl cornerback, announced his status from the NFL aft 13 seasons connected Monday. 

Slay made the announcement connected his Instagram page, wherever helium shared immoderate vocation highlights arsenic good arsenic a connection to the crippled of football. 

"Dear football, I wanna convey you for each you’ve done for me," his Instagram caption read. ‘I’ve been blessed to play the crippled I loved since I was 5yrs aged for an astonishing 13yrs astatine the highest level. Football was my peace, my joy, my everything. This crippled enactment maine successful a presumption to assistance instrumentality attraction of my household and loved ones and I’m everlastingly grateful."

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Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Darius Slay (2) reacts aft breaking up a walk play against the Buffalo Bills during the 2nd 4th astatine Lincoln Financial Field. (Bill Streicher/USA TODAY Sports)

Slay, a second-round prime retired of Mississippi State by the Detroit Lions, racked up a vocation 28 interceptions, including a league-leading 8 successful 2017, and 163 passes defended, which besides led the league that year. 

He became 1 of the champion players astatine his presumption successful the league implicit his 7 years with the Lions earlier transitioning to the Philadelphia Eagles successful 2020 erstwhile helium was traded to the East Coast. 

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It was determination Slay continued to marque Pro Bowls, but helium captured his 1 and lone Super Bowl ringing during the 2024 play aft defeating the Kansas City Chiefs successful New Orleans successful Super Bowl LIX. 

Slay spent a twelvemonth with the Pittsburgh Steelers past twelvemonth successful his last season, playing 10 games with 3 passes defended. 

Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Darius Slay (23) reacts arsenic helium takes the tract against the Indianapolis Colts astatine Acrisure Stadium connected Nov. 2, 2025. (Charles LeClaire/Imagn Images)

"It’s hard to accidental goodbye, but God has a caller section for maine and I’m acceptable to crook the leafage and commencement admit the emotion and enactment y’all person fixed to me. I couldn’t person done it without you. Just a kid from Brunswick, GA with BIG dreams…" helium wrote.

Slay earned the nickname "Big Play Slay" for his quality to travel up clutch astatine a presumption that is 1 of the hardest to play successful the NFL. 

But aft the Steelers released him pursuing 10 games, helium was claimed disconnected waivers by the Buffalo Bills. However, helium ne'er played for them, saying helium didn’t "feel similar packing up and moving again."

Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Darius Slay Jr. (2) against the Kansas City Chiefs during Super Bowl LIX astatine Caesars Superdome. (Mark J. Rebilas/Imagn Images)

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It was a determination that yet led Slay to telephone it quits for his career, 1 that helium should beryllium blessed with considering the accolades helium racked up, some personally and arsenic a team, considering helium volition ever beryllium known arsenic a Super Bowl champion. 

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