Former Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Darius Slay decided to leave the team and very well may retire now after being claimed by the Buffalo Bills.
So, why was it time for Slay to move on? The former Steelers cornerback said that he and head coach Mike Tomlin talked about it and figured it would be the best move for both parties to get satisfaction out of the rest of the year.
“It was a little mutual decision, man,” Slay said on the “Speakeasy” podcast. “Me and [Mike Tomlin] chopped it up. We just thought that was what’s best for us. Much respect to Mike T. and that organization. It just didn’t pan out as it needed to be. It was all good, though. No bad blood with it. He’s a great dude, great coach. He did me the right way, and 13 years in, we had a great understanding.”
Slay is continuing to decide if he would like to play and he won’t go to Buffalo. Slay could instead to decide to retire.
Slay and the Philadelphia Eagles reportedly had mutual interest, and the Eagles put in a claim to try and land Slay.
Slay added there was a family element to his decision, too, and he did not want to keep missing out on his kids’ lives to keep playing in a place where he was not getting playing time.
A Super Bowl champion with the Eagles last season, Slay will find work with a scheme that could fit well with what he does at this point in his career if he wants to keep playing. He will turn 35 years old on January 1.
Slay started out entrenched as a starting cornerback for the team, but a concussion opened the door for James Pierre, who stood out, to take his job. He did that, and then Asante Samuel Jr. stood out against the Buffalo Bills. Samuel will be the team’s top backup outside cornerback moving forward.
Slay was a healthy inactive on Sunday. A source told PennLive that Samuel will be elevated to the active roster after Slay’s release.
Steelers moneyline is +235 on DraftKings for Sunday’s game against Baltimore. Our DraftKings Sportsbook review provides a guide on how to register and use their platform.
“Really it was less about Slay and more about getting a chance to see Asante Samuel,” head coach Mike Tomlin said on Tuesday. “He’s a global NFL starter type that’s been on our practice squad…. it was about getting a look at a guy who has started a lot of guys in this league. And we did, and we liked some of things we saw.”
Pierre remains in the concussion protocol and if he can not play, Samuel will be the likely starter against the Baltimore Ravens in what is a pivotal divisional game in the AFC North.
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