Former Mississippi State standout and six-time Pro Bowl cornerback Darius Slay is retiring from football.
Slay, who won a Super Bowl with the Philadelphia Eagles to cap the 2024-25 season, announced on social media Monday that he is hanging it up after 13 years in the NFL.
“I’ve been blessed to play the game I loved since I was 5yrs old for an amazing 13yrs at the highest level,” Slay wrote on Instagram in a post that included video of the jerseys he’s worn throughout his life. “Football was my peace, my joy, my everything.”
The Georgia native played two years at Itawamba Community College before fielding for Mississippi State from 2012-13. In Starkville, he was named to the All-SEC second team in 2012 before being selected in the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions.
He played for the Lions (2013-19) and Eagles (2020-24) before signing with the Pittsburgh Steelers ahead of the 2025 season.
He played 10 games for Pittsburgh before being dropped. He was picked up off the waiver wire by the Buffalo Bills but declined to report to the team. At the time, he told former NFL player Emmanuel Acho on Acho’s podcast that missing time at home weighed on him. Slay added that he was contemplating retirement and it was “50/50” that he would return. Ultimately, the 35-year-old decided to stay home.
“It’s hard to say goodbye,” Slay added. “But God has a new chapter for me and I’m ready to turn the page and start my new journey.”
Career numbers for Slay include 655 total tackles, 163 pass deflections, 28 interceptions, six fumble recoveries, and five defensive touchdowns. In 2017, he led the league in interceptions (8) and pass deflections (26).
The Associated Press contributed to this report.