Darius Slay is thrilled to be with the Philadelphia Eagles now, and it sounds like some with the Detroit Lions think it’s better for the team chemistry that he’s gone.
Slay was drafted by the Lions in the second round in 2013 and had been with them his entire career until now. However, he had issues with Matt Patricia since the head coach took over the team.
Slay told the Detroit Free Press on Thursday that he lost respect for Patricia when the new head coach made an example out of Slay during training camp in 2018 over the cornerback posting on social media. That negative first impression stuck with Slay, who still described his relationship with Patricia as “solid” last season.
Still, some others didn’t see it that way.
One Lions source told the Free Press’ Dave Birkett that Slay was a “major cancer” last season and would “sit in meetings and not pay attention” then “go into the locker room and tell other players how the coaches are full of s–t.”
Slay read the article and laughed at it via social media.
A cancer lol!!! I would love to kno who said that! https://t.co/0jbT2WB1IY
— Darius Slay (@_bigplayslay23) March 20, 2020
He also didn’t like that somebody aired him out anonymously.
It’s crazy to me that some people would literally let another man tell u that an be cool with it lol idk where y’all from but we don’t rock like that!!
— Darius Slay (@_bigplayslay23) March 20, 2020
Slay believes that the Lions cleared out the players who didn’t fit with Patricia and are bringing in new ones. The trade of Quandre Diggs last season upset many of the team’s players.
Slay is in a happier place now and is getting a nice fat contract from the Eagles. Patricia is building the Lions in the way that he wants. If the former Patriots defensive coordinator doesn’t turn them around, he’ll be viewed as another example of a coach trying to take over like he’s Bill Belichick before winning anything and building relationships with his players. It sounds like that may have been the issue between him and Slay.
You should read the entire Free Press article on Slay for more.
