After being claimed off waivers by the Buffalo Bills last fall following his release from the Pittsburgh Steelers mid-season, Darius Slay made one thing clear: he only wanted to play for the Philadelphia Eagles at this stage of his career.

Moved to the reserve/retired list to effectively end his 2025 season, some wondered if Slay would work out a deal with Buffalo to become a free agent this spring, opening the door for a reunion with Vic Fangio in Philly, but instead, it looks like “Big Play” is calling it a career, as he noted on IG Live, according to Philadelphia Inquirer beat reporter Olivia Reiner.

“Darius Slay just said on IG Live that he is ‘most likely' going to retire as an Eagle,” Reiner wrote. “And that he won't pull a BG and come out of retirement to play.”

Article Continues Below

One of the all-time great Howie Roseman trade additions, Slay turned Philadelphia's long-time weakness, the cornerback position, into a certified strength alongside players like James Bradberry, Quinyon Mitchell, and Cooper DeJean. While he struggled to stay on the field in 2024, a big reason why he didn't return in 2025, Slay's play across from Mitchell is a big reason why the Eagles made it to the Big Game last February and why Fangio didn't have to rush more than four once against the Kansas City Chiefs on the way to Super Bowl win No. 2 for the organization.

Would it have been nice to see Slay on the field one more time in an Eagles uniform, having his one “One Last Dance” alongside Brandon Graham? Most certainly, but in the end, if he retires in Philadelphia, Philadelphia will continue to embrace him as one of their own as Riq Woolen fills his spot on the field this fall.