Darius Slay Explains Spurning Bills Despite ‘Respect’

One of the weirdest situations of the 2025 NFL season seems to have come to an end this week. And, of course, the Buffalo Bills were directly involved in it.

Darius Slay, who stood up the Bills by not reporting to the team after being claimed on waivers after a release from the Pittsburgh Steelers last season, announced he's retiring after 13 years in the NFL. The Super Bowl champion and six-time Pro Bowler joined Jim Rome on The Jim Rome Show to discuss why he stepped away.

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Rome asked Slay about how things went down with his situation in Buffalo. And from what Slay has shared since the decision, it seems that it was much less about the Bills than it was about himself.

"If I wasn't going to Philly, I wasn't probably going nowhere else."@bigplay24slay on why he didn't report to the Bills after Buffalo claimed him off waivers in December. pic.twitter.com/1qOMhXVT0H
— Jim Rome (@jimrome) March 19, 2026

"I've got a lot of love and respect for that organization over there," said Slay. "It's just the fact that, where I'm at in my career, I was more like 'If I wasn't going to Philly, I wasn't probably going nowhere else."

He noted his admiration for Josh Allen and how he believes Buffalo is a "championship contender." But simply put, in what would have been his third stop over the last two seasons, Slay did not want to move and uproot his family again.

"I just really either wanted to go to Philly or go home." said Slay, who won Super Bowl LIX with the Eagles.

Former Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Darius Slay Jr. during Super Bowl LIX. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Bills Mafia won't forget

It's understandable why Slay would want to return to Philly. He spent five highly successful seasons with the team, helped the franchise play in two Super Bowls and helped the Eagles win their second title in franchise history.

But that urge at the expense of the Bills is still frustrating. Slay could have been a player to take some snaps at cornerback while Buffalo dealt with injuries at the position with Maxwell Hairston, Christian Benford, Taron Johnson and Dorian Strong.

Slay may be saying nice things at this point about the Bills. But that does not mean he should expect Bills Mafia to be saying the same on his way out of the league.