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Darius Slay Does Not Rule Out Return to Detroit Lions

Darius Slay still wants to play NFL football in 2025.

John Maakaron

Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Darius Slay Jr. speaks with the media during a press conference prior to the Super Bowl
Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Darius Slay Jr. speaks with the media during a press conference prior to the Super Bowl / Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
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Philadelphia Eagles veteran cornerback Darius Slay wants to continue to play in the National Football League in 2025.

The talented 34-year-old defensive back is entering the final season of a three-year, $42 million contract signed in 2023.

In 2025, Slay is set to earn a base salary of $1,255,000 and a signing bonus of $14,595,000, if the Eagles decide to keep him on the roster.

Appearing on the St. Brown Bros. podcast, the Eagles defender expressed an understanding of the business side of the game, which could spell the end of his tenure in Philadelphia.

The City of Detroit is still considered a second home for Slay, and was a place where several young players who are now in the league attended camps and workouts.

“Oh I love Detroit, that’s my second home. I do a lot for the City still, to this day. A lot of guys that’s from Detroit that’s in the league (were) all hanging with me when they were high school kids," Slay said. "That’s what’s the crazy part.

"Avonte Maddox, he trained with me when he was in high school. Sauce Gardner, your boy that you don’t like -- Jourdan Lewis. Donovan Peoples-Jones, he was with me," Slay continued. "A lot of the guys that I was in Detroit with while they were coming up, I used to have little (workouts), ‘Hey, meet me at this field.’ Lot of guys showed up, and a lot of those guys moved up, so I’ve got a lot of love. I went to all the games, I went to all the high school basketball games.”

While Slay would like to return to the organization that has turned into a regular Super Bowl contender, returning to Detroit would still be appealing.

After finishing his collegiate career at Mississippi State, the Lions drafted Slay in the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft.

Following the conclusion of the 2019 NFL season, Slay was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles during the offseason in exchange for a third-round and fifth-round pick in the 2020 NFL draft.

If he parts ways with the team he was traded to in 2020, he would very much welcome playing in Detroit again.

“If it is, it is. If it ain’t, it ain’t," said Slay. "But for sure the two spots I would always love to be at are Philly and Detroit. The main two, the main ones I’d love to be at.”

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John Maakaron
JOHN MAAKARON

John Maakaron has covered Detroit Sports since 2013. Brings a vast array of experience covering the Detroit Tigers, Detroit Lions, Michigan Wolverines, Michigan State Spartans, Detroit Mercy Titans, and Oakland University Golden Grizzlies. John brings a wealth of sports broadcast experience. In 2013, John had the vision to establish the Detroit Sports Podcast Network. Has recorded over 3000 podcasts analyzing Detroit Sports. In 2019, Sports Illustrated Media Group, a historical sports media outlet, partnered with Detroit Sports Podcast to provide daily Lions content for their growing and expanding digital media outlet. Our Lions content can also be read in the newspaper at The Oakland  Passionate about Detroit Sports and it is reflected in his coverage of the local teams!

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