Darius Slay retirement row: NFL legend sends message to Eagles about ‘returning’ amid emotional goodbye

Former Eagles star cornerback Darius Slay on Monday announced that he is retiring from the NFL after a 13-season career

Updated on: Mar 16, 2026 11:10 PM IST

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Former Eagles star cornerback Darius Slay on Monday announced that he is retiring from the NFL after a 13-season career and six Pro Bowl selections. In an amotional post, the 35-year-old said that he is ‘forever grateful’ to the game and it is ‘hard to say goodbye. Slay further stated that he has a ’new chapter' coming, without getting into details.

Former Philadelphia Eagles' cornerback Darius Slay has retired (AP)

What did Darius Slay say?

“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 5yrs old for an amazing 13yrs 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,” Darius Slay wrote in an Instagram post.

Darius Slay's message to the Eagles

A day before making the big decision, Slay had spoken about the Philadelphia Eagles. The veteran CB was waived by the Pittsburgh Steelers last season. He declined to play for the Buffalo Bills, but traveled to Philadelphia to watch Jalen Hurts and co in the playoffs.

In a short clip on social media that Slay re-posted, he could be seen saying that the Eagles are the only team that can call him.

“No team can call me but Eagles. No team can call me, everybody knows,” Slay said.

Slay appeared to want to retire after an Eagles stint. He played for the franchise from 2020 to 2024. He won a Super Bowl ring and was selected to three Pro Bowls there. The 35-year-old was also a part of the Detroit Lions from 2013 to 2019 and for the Steelers for 10 games last season.

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Yash Nitish Bajaj
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

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