Eagles' Veteran CB Is Uplifting Star Rookie

Quinyon Mitchell's internship with Darius Slay is working out beautifully.

Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Quinyon Mitchell. / Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

PHILADELPHIA - When Darius Slay broke in with the Detroit Lions as the 36th overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, the now six-time Pro Bowl selection was lucky enough to land in a spot where veterans were willing to help.

It’s almost counterintuitive to be asked to help a younger player who may ultimately end up taking your job but Slay has always credited veterans like Glover Quin and Rashean Mathis as helping shape his formative years with the Lions.

And it impacted him so greatly that Slay is now the 33-year-old veteran paying it forward in his 12th NFL season to rookie cornerbacks Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean.

“I can't say enough good things about Slay and the leader he is,” Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni said on Monday. "He's been voted a captain three years in a row now. And the reason being, he's just such a good leader, such a good teammate.”

Slay’s genuine desire to uplift all his teammates is sometimes masked by a big personality.

“I think that's something that you don't get to hear about Slay enough. You hear about the special play that he has. But man, he always has the best interest of his teammates at heart,” Sirianni said. “Good heart. Just a great teammate.”

The more obvious connection for Slay is Mitchell as an outside CB who has hit the ground running in the NFL with the veteran's help.

“I think that when you're a young player like Q, and somebody that plays the same position as you has taken you under their wing, that's a special deal,” said Sirianni. “Especially a player of the caliber that Slay is, who Q has probably been watching since he was ten years old.

“... And Q being humble to take advice from a guy that's done it at a high level.”

Mitchell is in the running for Defensive Rookie of the Year thanks to his sticky coverage ability in Vic Fangio’s heavy zone defense that often stresses man traits.

The Toledo product has allowed just 23 receptions on 41 targets that have come his way for 291 yards and a less-than-stellar 56.1 completion percentage and 78.4 passing rating for opposing quarterbacks, per Pro Football Focus. 

The mentorship is going beautifully so far.

“I think the relationship is cool because it's two guys that both [have] no ego involved,” Sirianni said. “Trust me, when Slay and Q get out there, they think they can cover anybody. And they can cover anybody, so they have the ego in that. Which all good players do.”

The Eagles’ coach explained the connection even further.

“Slay is saying, ‘How do I help my young teammate get better for the good of the team?’ And Q is saying, ‘Hey, man, this guy with all this good knowledge is willing to help me out. How do I listen to it?’” Sirianni said. “So it's really cool. I admire that first and foremost with Slay, and Q has done a nice job of putting his head down and working.”

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