Darius Slay teases a possible return to the Lions in 2025

Darius Slay has a lot of affinity for Detroit, and he's not ruling out a possible return to the Lions this offseason.
ByBrad Berreman|
Cooper Neill/GettyImages

During Super Bowl week in New Orleans, Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Darius Slay suggested the 2025 season might be his last and he also expressed his love for where his NFL career began.

"I got nothing but love for Detroit, Slay said, via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. "The Lions, man, for sure. That's the team that took a chance on me, a kid from Brunswick, Ga. So it’s always nothing but love. I root for them every time. I want them to win every game besides the game I'm playing against them in. But yeah man, that's home. That's my second home for sure.”

Slay spent the first seven seasons of his career with the Lions after they took him in the second round of the 2013 draft out of Mississippi State. He earned a Pro Bowl nod in each of his final three seasons in Detroit (2017-2019), with a First Team All-Pro selection in the first of those seasons.

But that was not good enough for then-head coach Matt Patricia. Patricia's rampant disrespect pushed Slay out, and since being traded to the Eagles all he's done is earn three more Pro Bowl selections and go to two Super Bowls.

Slay has said he wants to keep playing for the Eagles, but if that's not an option he has another on his mind.

Darius Slay not ruling out a potential return to the Lions

Slay was a guest on this week's edition of the "St. Brown Podcast" with Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown and his brother Equanimeous.

"Oh I love Detroit, that’s my second home. I do a lot for the city still, to this day. A lot of guys that’s from Detroit that’s in the league (were) all hanging with me when they were high school kids," Slay said.

St. Brown said it sounded like Slay wouldn't mind coming back.

"Oh not at all", Slay said. "But you know what I'm saying, if it is it is if it ain't it ain't. For sure, the two spots I would love to always be at is Philly and Detroit."

Note: the clip below has NSFW language.

Slay acknowledged the business side of things as he enters the final year of his contract. The Eagles could make him a cap casualty, with a post-June 1 designation for cap savings purposes, at which point he'd be a free agent. A return to the Lions would be in play then, if the interest is mutual.

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