Darius Slay explains shocking decision to snub Bills, consider retirement

Darius Slay set the NFL world ablaze on Thursday.

When the Buffalo Bills claimed him off waivers, he decided not to report to the team and instead is reportedly considering retirement after being released by the Pittsburgh Steelers. Before the day was through, the former All-Pro and Super Bowl champion took to the airwaves on Speakeasy to explain his choice that sent shockwaves across the league.

Why not head to Buffalo?

“Most of it was a family decision,” he said on the YouTube show, explaining how he was now looking forward to attending his 18-year-old son’s athletic events, many of which he had missed over a long NFL career.

He added, “When I got home the other day (after being released), I’m like, this feels too good to be at the crib.”

But was that because he did not want to head to Buffalo, specifically? Kind of.

“I don’t feel like packing up and moving again,” he said. “I’m 13 years in, like, I done did it. Like, they would have caught me at like 28, 29, I might have been like ‘OK.’ That’s a top organization. They have a lot of great things going. They win, they go to the playoffs, they got a franchise quarterback. So, it wasn’t a bad fit, it just caught me at a bad time.”

Slay added that he has had conversations with the Bills since they claimed him earlier this week.

“I talked to them,” he said. “It was a neutral talk. I just said, “Hey, man. I’m 34. I know ya’ll be watching tape, but I’m trying to relax with my family and kid. I ain’t feel like packing up, moving.' And then, on top of that - no offense to Buffalo — it’s cold as hell in Buffalo. I’m from the south.”

MORE: All-Pro CB refuses to play for Bills in surprising decision

Will he play elsewhere?

The Bills weren’t the only team to place a claim on the 13-year NFL veteran upon his release from Pittsburgh, as it was reported that one of his former teams, the Philadelphia Eagles, also hoped to land him through waivers. But with Buffalo holding priority over the defending Super Bowl champions, the Bills were awarded Slay’s rights.

Host of Speakeasy, Emmanuel Acho, went on to ask Slay during the 14-minute interview, if his former team, the Philadelphia Eagles, claimed him rather than the Bills, would he have reported to their facility. Let’s just say that he didn’t say no.

“I don’t know,” he said. “It would have been a hard time to think about it. But Philly is my second home. I don’t know how that would have hit, if it would have hit.”

Acho then asked Slay about another of his former team’s, the Detroit Lions, presenting a hypothetical scenario in which the Lions claimed the 34-year-old.

“That’s a good question right there,” he said. “I don’t know.”

What Slay said next was mighty interesting.

“If it’s like an anything-possible-in-the-world — I don’t know how this world operates, I don’t know how the league works, and I don’t know how I’m going to feel in a couple days," said Slay. "But there for sure would be some spots I would love to attend. Just because I would have been there, been known there. Won a championship in Philly. Detroit drafted me. So it’s always going to be love and mutual with them. But how I’m feeling today, man, ain’t no telling. Like I said, I’m chillin’.”

Retired?

Thus, at this point, it does not seem as if Slay is ready to retire quite yet, particularly if the right opportunity were to come along. And he confirmed as much before his interview was through.

“Not officially 1,000,” he said. “But your boy is sure on that borderline and sitting here, just chilling.”

So as it stands today, Slay is not yet retired, but has no plans of heading to Buffalo anytime soon. The next question is, will he wind up on the Eagles or the Lions by the time the season is through?

Well, that seems a bit more likely.

However, Buffalo currently holds Slay's contractual rights, and unless they release him, he may be stashed on the team's Reserve/Did Not Report list for the remainder of the season.

Your move, Bills.

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