Amongst the many achievements of recently retired former Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Darius Slay, one can surely count the impact he's had on All-Pro cornerback Quinyon Mitchell as being one of his most significant.
From Toledo to Top of the World
For Mitchell, his meteoric rise from generating draft buzz at Toledo to Super Bowl champion and All-Pro cornerback for the Philadelphia Eagles was strongly influenced by Slay in a multitude of ways. Not knowing he would eventually suit up alongside 'Big Play' Slay in the flesh, Mitchell originally visualized making some of those same big plays himself.
When recently asked to describe how much Slay impacted his own personal journey to stardom, it was hard for Mitchell to convey with merely words:
"I just know a lot, more than I can explain," Mitchell told David Neisz. "Before I got here, I watched a lot of his tapes I was kind of like manifesting, playing with him So he's just teaching me everything, giving me everything I need. He's been a big part."
Big Play Slay relished the chance to help guide Mitchell & DeJean
Slay, who spent five seasons of his storied 13-year NFL tenure donning midnight green, certainly took Mitchell, along with Cooper DeJean, under his wing immediately as prized prospects, but rookies and pupils nonetheless, with much to learn back in 2024. He jokingly referred to them as "his kids", and as the 2025 season concluded with that Super Bowl triumph, Slay knew that at 34 years of age, he had captured a Super Bowl ring alongside two youngsters in the secondary likely to succeed him in carrying the torch from that point on.
It was that leadership and mentorship that helped spark the swift ascension of Mitchell and DeJean to become two of the very best in the business. Along with six Pro Bowls and a Super Bowl ring, his guidance and tutelage towards this current duo of Eagles corners has been monumental.
While Slay recently announced his retirement from the gridiron, he's, of course, hinted that he would only return to Philadelphia if his services were requested. Fans are fondly aware of the way Brandon Graham's initial retirement plans unfolded, so we'll see what the future holds for Big Play Slay down the road.
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If this is indeed the end of the line for the 13-year veteran, he surely goes down as one of the greatest defensive backs in franchise history, a likely Hall-of-Famer, a Super Bowl champion, and an incredible mentor to this new wave of talent patrolling the secondary in the city of brotherly love.