Former Steelers cornerback Darius Slay didn’t stay in Pittsburgh long, but he still managed to stir up a little noise after his retirement.
Slay signed with the Steelers in March 2025, then was cut on December 2 after a loss to the Buffalo Bills. The Bills claimed him off waivers, but he declined to report and made it clear he would only play for the Philadelphia Eagles. This offseason, Slay officially retired.
Recently, Slay appeared on ESPN to talk about the NFL’s top cornerbacks and was asked about Joey Porter Jr. He praised Porter’s work in press coverage and at the line of scrimmage, but also pointed to what he sees as a missing piece in the young defender’s game.
“He’s very good in press, gets his hands on the ball, very disruptive at the line of scrimmage,” Slay said via Chris Ward of Steelers Now. “The only thing I think he has wrong with him is ball production.
He just don’t have a lot of picks right now, but they’re coming. I’ve been there with him in Pittsburgh.
His hands are very sus.”
That didn’t sit well with former Steelers cornerback Ike Taylor, who fired back on X.
“Glad I wasn’t in the era for biting [the] bait [and talking] bout the same side of the ball teammate,” Taylor posted.
Porter has three career interceptions, with one in each season of his career. His 2025 season was the best of his career, as he allowed only 32 catches on 64 targets and didn’t give up a touchdown all year, according to Next Gen Stats.
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The timing made the news hit even harder, since Clark learned of the decision while still on air. What comes next for him is still unclear, but the bigger picture is already obvious for Steelers fans who followed his transition from hard-hitting safety to one of football medias more recognizable voices: a prominent career has been interrupted without much warning, and the next step remains up in the air. [Read more 🡒]