Darius Slay does not want Matt Patricia to join Nick Sirianni’s Philadelphia Eagles staff at all!
Even in the City of Brotherly Love, two men who used to work very closely together don’t see eye-to-eye anymore.
With rumors of New England Patriots assistant coach Matt Patricia potentially linking up with the Philadelphia Eagles on Nick Sirianni’s staff, let’s just say star defensive back Darius Slay is not down with that. Slay played for Patricia on the Detroit Lions. Although he shined professionally, the former failed head coach apparently disrespected him the whole time. Well, this is awkward…
Here is what Slay had to say about his former head coach while he was at the Super Bowl.
“He basically just said, ‘You are not in that category yet’. At that time, I only had one Pro Bowl but now I’m at five, so I want to know how he feels about that now. I don’t wish bad on him, but as a man, me and him just don’t get along. He’s a smart coach, he knows his Xs and Os, but the disrespect is not what I’m with.”
Schematics have never been an issue for the rocket scientist, but relating to players is a challenge.
When legendary defensive back Charles Woodson said a player will play for anyone when hearing these Slay-Patricia rumors, Slay’s former Lions teammate Quandre Diggs hinted that this is a very different case. Slay would echo that sentiment. Amazingly, Diggs and Slay were in the same defensive backfield in Detroit and the Lions couldn’t win many games at all playing for Patricia.
Things have changed. While Slay has flourished, Patricia has been humbled, but this is awkward.
Darius Slay makes it abundantly clear over how he feels about Matt Patricia
While Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio indicated that this may have been Patricia’s way to go after the best player on the team to get the most out of him (i.e. The Patriot Way), not everybody can be coached like Tom Brady. This tactic may have been right up Bill Belchick’s alley, but Patricia’s imitation crab substitute didn’t cut it. He is probably never going to be an NFL head coach again.
Look. These men are professionals and they would try to make it work in Philadelphia. I mean, it’s not like Slay would demand a trade off the reigning NFC champions just because Sirianni hires Patricia to his staff. Conversely, who is to tell Patricia he can never work for the Eagles because Slay is still on their roster? Regardless, Slay did make it abundantly clear how he feels about him.
Frankly, the best thing Patricia can do for his coaching career is to join another staff outside of New England. He needs to get out of Belchick’s hooded shadow and learn from someone else. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure that out. As for Slay, he needs to play as hard as he can and continue to be a leader Sirianni can build a defense around. Sean Desai is counting on this.
Nothing would be more hilarious than Slay and the Birds carrying Patricia off, Buddy Ryan style.
