Even though Darius Slay won the Super Bowl with the Eagles this year, his exit from Philadelphia was imminent. I mean, did not the Eagles management tell him that he may no longer be needed way back in 2022? Although they extended him for another two years, Slay knew his time was over in Philly and it was probably the right time to join forces with Mike Tomlin. The Steelers have been very active this offseason. Brandin Echols, Mason Rudolph, Kenneth Gainwell, Malik Harrison, and now, Darius. While we understand Tomlin’s frustration for Super Bowl glory, what is in it for Slay—who is coming off a championship-winning campaign? Well, you may wonder, but the former Eagles CB has enough reasons to sign with the Steelers.

Darius Slay’s NFL journey started with the Detroit Lions way back in 2013, when they selected him as their 36th overall pick. But it was a Steelers’ Hall of Famer Rod Woodson who helped a young Darius accomplish his NFL dream. “He [Rod Woodson] was my mentor coming in when I got drafted,” Slay said. “I stayed at his house for about a month and a half. I learned football from him. He told me to always be healthy, stay out of the tub. He taught me a lot of formations, route recognitions, and he had me on the track a lot.” Slay even had the same agent as the Steelers legend. While Slay acknowledged Woodson’s contribution to his career, he is not the only reason the 34-year-old joined the Steelers.

Darius had a very mediocre year in his debut season. But during his second year in Detroit, he found a strong support system in the newly-appointed Lions’ defensive coordinator Teryl Austin. “That’s the first person I met when I got back to Detroit,” Slay said of Austin. “First thing he said was, ‘I love you as a corner. I watched when you came out and I made sure you were on your best.’ He pushed me every day.”

It has been over ten years since Slay’s NFL debut but he has not forgotten how Austin made him a better player. “He helped me become who I am today,” Slay continued. “I always looked at him as a father figure. His nickname for me since I’ve been here is, ‘Top 5.’ We’ve got a great relationship. He helped me get my first All-Pro.” And as we all know Teryl has been with the Steelers for over five years now. So, after all these years, when Slay saw the opportunity to team up with his mentor, he could not just let it go.

After signing a one-year deal with the Steelers, Darius appeared on Pittsburgh’s YouTube channel for an exclusive interview. There, he talked about all that had happened on the sidelines of the field throughout the years. Slay also expressed his admiration for HC Tomlin and his winning philosophy. Even while playing for the Eagles, the CB was aware that he would eventually play alongside Tomlin. Fast forward to now, the Steelers have signed him to a hefty one-year, fully guaranteed $10 million deal.

Darius Slay explained how he is looking forward to playing with the team this season and hopefully get an extension, “It’s just a great opportunity, man, I always talk about Mike T a lot. He’s the one of the coaches I always you know look forward to have a plan with if I got the chance to, I’ve been seeing him doing great things for this organization and you know he wins and I’m a winner and I like being a winner so why not.”

These statements from the former Eagles CB show that he is ready for any challenge that comes his way this year. Slay’s 2024 season was a blast, with 49 total tackles, 39 of which were solo. Wow! But you know what? This is not the first time a player has chosen a team whose head coach he admires. These things have often happened in the NFL. Von Miller to the Bills in 2022, Tom Brady to the Buccaneers in 2020, DeAndre Hopkins to the Titans in 2023, and many more are just a few examples.

While this move would have greatly benefited Darius Slay, it has had a significant negative impact on the Eagles. The team lost a quality cornerback, and Nick Sirianni will be seeking to address this issue for next season. But, you know what? This isn’t the only problem he needs to resolve right now.

Nick Sirriani and the Eagles lose a $20 million key player

There was a lot of excitement surrounding all of the Super Bowl champions’ releases. Everyone understood the team would most likely look for them to make a comeback, or that other clubs would steal them away. And the same thing happened with Darius Slay and even their guard. Yep! We’re talking about the Chargers‘ new player, Mekhi Becton. The LA has signed the guard for a $20 million fee. Just wow.

The HC Nick Sirriani and GM Howie Roseman have not commented on Mekhi Becton’s new agreement. The Eagles worked hard on Becton, leading him to switch from tackle to guard. This was one of the riskiest transitions that the team was nonetheless persuaded to do. And oh man! It was worth it. Initially, no one was sure about it, but later even the Eagles GM claimed, “Every good idea comes from collaboration and communication with each other. I can’t say that was my idea.”

After considering all of this, one thing is clear: the Eagles’ roster requires a lot of improvement this year. And reports have even circulated that the team may be focusing on four positions during the NFL draft. These positions include edge rusher, linebacker, football safety, and offensive guard. It will be difficult for them to gain an advantage in all of these positions, but the Super Bowl champions are expected to maintain their dominance this year as well.