NFL rivalries always bring the heat, and sometimes, things get physical. Fans still talk about Andre Johnson vs. Cortland Finnegan or Aqib Talib ripping Michael Crabtree. Those fights left a mark. Now, there is another head-to-head clash between Darius Slay and a dominant offensive player, which has everyone talking. Now the twist is they’re now teammates. So how do you go from fierce rivals to working together?

During a game against the Eagles, Darnell Washington manhandled Darius Slay, driving him deep downfield and nearly into the stands. It was a moment that had fans fired up. It even caught the attention of Tom Brady, who said: “Washington, put him on skates.” Washington is taking it all in stride on that. Darnell is a big dude. At 6’7” and nearly 270 pounds, the Steelers tight end has built a reputation for bullying defenders on the field. And if you need any proof, just ask Darius Slay.

In the heat of Week 15’s matchup between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Philadelphia Eagles, tensions boiled over in a moment that fans won’t soon forget. Washington engaged in a fierce block against Eagles cornerback Darius Slay. He drove Slay beyond the end zone, igniting a scuffle that saw players from both teams rush to intervene. ​

Reflecting on the incident, Washington admitted he heard the whistle but felt compelled to continue the block, anticipating a reaction from Slay. He explained, “I heard the whistle… but I felt him… I knew he was gonna swing.“ This decision led to penalties against the Steelers, impacting their position on the field.

Slay, taken aback by the aggressive block, expressed his frustration post-game, highlighting the size mismatch and questioning Washington’s choice to target him over larger defensive players. He remarked, “He came out here trying to dog me into the back of the end zone… I don’t get down like that.” Now all that in the past, both are gonna be teammates in the 2025 season.

Darnell Washington reveals his opinion

After all, rivalries don’t last forever, at least, not when you’re chasing the same goal. The Steelers signed Darius Slay in free agency, bringing him over from the Eagles. So, now instead of going at each other, they’ll have to share the same locker room in Pittsburgh. For as long as Washington is opening lanes and Slay is locking down receivers, Pittsburgh should do well.

On Zach’s Tech Turf podcast, Washington said, “I don’t really hold grudges or things like that,”. “What I do on the field is totally what I do differently off the field. I’m a good dude.” That might be true, but when Washington gets between the lines, it’s a different story. Even he admitted that moment with Slay was intense. “At that time… I don’t know, but probably as soon as we got to that mid-back line, I heard the whistle,” Washington recalled. “I’m not gonna lie—I heard the whistle. But I felt him. I knew he was gonna swing.” And in that split second, instincts took over. But now, it’s all water under the bridge.

“You’re a grown man, and another grown man is like… you know, you can’t really do nothing in that situation. So, I was just like… blindside. Took him all the way to the stands or whatever, to the bus or whatever,” Washington joked. Now that they’re in the same locker room, Washington hasn’t had a chance to address it with Slay yet. “I have not. I have not. Kind of waiting to see how that’s gonna be,” he said with a laugh. But he’s confident they’ll work things out.

Despite the altercation, Washington feels that Slay’s actions during games don’t influence his mind, stating, “I’m just the type of guy, I don’t hold grudges.” As both players now don the Steelers jersey, their ability to move past this incident will be crucial for the team in the upcoming season.