Darius Slay Believes Ndamukong Suh's Reputation Gets a Bad Rap

PHILADELPHIA – Darius Slay arrived in Detroit as a second-round draft pick in 2013 with Ndamukong Suh established as one of the Lions’ leaders.

Suh was the second overall pick in 2010, right after Sam Bradford went No. 1.

Suh was also established as a player prone to personal fouls, suspended once for stepping on the leg of Packers QB Aaron Rodgers in 2014. As of 2020, he was the sixth most fined player in NFL history, having shelled out a total of $516,154 in fines, per Yahoo Finance.

Slay witnessed plenty of those transgressions, but he said it was only because Suh was standing up for his teammates.

“He’d play hard for his team,” said the Eagles CB and captain at his locker on Thursday after the news broke that the Eagles were signing the defensive tackle for the remainder of the season.

“It’s never been a nasty thing about him. Everybody keeps thinking about all the times he did all the so-called dirty stuff, but he’s not a guy that does dirty stuff. A lot of people do the dirty stuff to him.”

Slay said he watched film on Suh when he was younger and noticed that “People were messing with him first, egging him on because they know he’d retaliate. As he got older, he’s probably more chill now. But young Suh, for sure, just always kind of like, he was always the second man getting caught.”

Slay said Suh helped him become a man, helped him find his way around the league.

“He’ll always be my OG,” he said. “He taught me a lot of stuff. That’s my dog. I’m happy. I talked to him last night. He was happy and excited. Looking forward to it.

“He’s amazing. He’s an amazing dude, man. Great guy, a very loving guy, man. That’s my guy, that’s my dude. He’s really a good dude. He taught me a lot in Detroit (stayed in touch, etc.) … I told him he can come move in if he wants to. My wife and kids are in Houston. They’re coming down this week, but he can move in. I got a big house. I got a whole downstairs for him. Set up nice for him.”

Will he charge his old/new teammate rent?

“Nope,” he said. “I’m rich, too. He can stay for free.”

Suh may bring some personal foul baggage, but he also adds depth and experience on the defensive line.

He also brings another north-of-30 player up front, joining recently-signed Linval Joseph, Fletcher Cox, Brandon Graham, and Robert Quinn.

“Like I’ve been trying to tell the world already, this is not the 1940s and 50s and 60s and 70s,” said Slay. “If 30-plus old guys can still play, play at a high, high, high level. They need to get rid of that narrative of being old and out.

“Maybe old (means) they can’t play at 40-plus, besides Tom (Brady) … and Jason Peters … so the 30-plus club is really like the new 20s.”

Slay believes Suh has plenty left in his tank to help get this team where it wants to go.

“He got a lot left, for sure,” he said. “Suh just be chilling, man. He’s rich as hell. He can probably play as long as he wants to. He’s so rich and he’s so chill.

“He’s got kids now, he’s got twins. It’s a great opportunity for his Hall of Fame career, winning team, come help us for sure. He’s just trying to build his legacy and keep doing what he’s doing.”

Ed Kracz is the publisher of SI.com’s Fan Nation Eagles Today and co-host of the Eagles Unfiltered Podcast. Check out the latest Eagles news at www.SI.com/NFL/Eagles or www.eaglesmaven.com and please follow him on Twitter: @kracze.