Former Steelers DB Throws Shade at Mike Tomlin's System

Darius Slay didn't hold back when voicing his disdain for the way the Pittsburgh Steelers ran their defense in his lone season with the team.

Slay, who signed a one-year deal worth $10 million with the Steelers last March fresh off winning Super Bowl LIX as a member of the Philadelphia Eagles, was not a fan of the team putting their cornerbacks in outside leverage as often as they did and seemed to put most of the blame on head coach Mike Tomlin rather than defensive coordinator Teryl Austin, both of whom are no longer with the organization.

"I ain't gonna lie to you, that Pittsburgh stuff, that was rough for my dog [Jalen Ramsey] because that s***'s backwards over there," Slay said on his "Press Coverage" podcast. "That ain't [Teryl Austin] s***. TA ain't teach none of that s*** in f****** Detroit. They was outside leverage every f****** call. That's why you see, when Ramsey got scored on, he's chasing someone that's running away from outside leverage.

"It's crazy. Them guys make plays. Don't get me wrong. This is what these [coaches] were telling me, 'You play outside leverage, and if they catch a ball inside, it's on the d-line because they're so good at batting the ball down.' I'm not banking on that. That's the only thing I did not like about the defense. Everything was outside leverage in the red zone. That s*** was weird as f***. I never played that s***."

Sep 21, 2025; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Darius Slay (23) reacts after a fumble recovery during the first quarter at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images | Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

Slay's Disappointing Steelers Tenure

Expected to hold a starting role alongside Joey Porter Jr. and Ramsey, Slay never quite fit in with the Steelers, and perhaps the team's defensive scheme really was to blame.

Though he did start nine of the 10 games he appeared in, Slay allowed opposing quarterbacks to record a 75 percent completion rate (30-of-40) against him in coverage, per Pro Football Reference.

It became apparent that James Pierre was a more suitable option on the boundary than Slay, and once Pittsburgh signed Asante Samuel Jr. to its practice squad in early November, the writing was on the wall.

The organization released Slay on December 2, and he was subsequently claimed off waivers by the Buffalo Bills. He did not play in a game for them, however, and announced his retirement in March.

Steelers' Defensive Troubles in 2025

Slay's apparent defense of Austin doesn't come as a surprise since the pair spent four years together with the Detroit Lions (2014 - 2017), with the latter serving as the team's defensive coordinator during that period.

Whether or not Slay meant to point the finger at Tomlin, Pittsburgh's defensive struggles against the pass (243.9 yards allowed per game, fourth-most in NFL) were puzzling given the amount of talent the unit had last season.

The Steelers are hoping to turn a new leaf on that side of the ball now that Patrick Graham is running the defense, particularly with a pair of notable free agent additions in the secondary with cornerback Jamel Dean and safety Jaquan Brisker.

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