One-time Youth Football Rivals Turned Teammates Look to Turn Giants Into Winners

Once upon a time, Giants receiver Darius Slayton and rookie cornerback Chris Williamson were youth league rivals. These days, they'll limit their rivalry in going up against each other in practice as they look to contribute toward a winning Giants program.

Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports

Fourteen years ago, new Giants teammates Darius Slayton, a receiver and Chris Williamson, a cornerback, were on rival youth recreation teams in Georgia's Gwinnett Football League.

But although the two one-time rivals, who became childhood friends, will still go against each other in practice, at the end of the day, they're on the same team--a Giants team they want to help turn into a winner.

"Me and Chris go way, way back," Slayton told Alex Marvez and Gil Brandt during Tuesday night's Late Hits program on SiriusXM NFL Radio.

"I've known Chris since I was about eight or nine years old. We actually went to elementary school together for about two years, but we played at separate rec league parks, and our rec league parks were rivals."

Giants fans I’ve known @Chris_Will8 my whole life this going to be a late pick y’all will love WELCOME TO NY FAM‼️ https://t.co/jkI9Iw6nVV

— Darius Slayton (@Young_Slay2) April 25, 2020

Slayton told the story of how the recreational team he was on was one of the best ever assembled at the time, a team that went undefeated, including against the team Williamson played on, a team Slayton's team beat so bad that the game's officials invoked the mercy rule.

That success manifested itself into Slayton's team receiving the rock star treatment. Slayton said that the parents of Slayton's team rented two hummer limos to transport the players to the championship against Williamson's team, a convoy that also received an escort by a 25-member string of bikers since one of his teammates' parents was part of a biker group.

Unfortunately for Slayton and his teammates at the time, they were handed their first defeat, a 14-0 shutout.

"I believe we were cheated, but you know, we'll let that go," Slayton said with a chuckle. "But yeah, it was, it was a lot of fun, and I've known Chris for a long time. He's a good friend of mine."