Darius Slay is technically a member of the Buffalo Bills, but he was nowhere near Florida as the team took on the Jacksonville Jaguars in an important playoff game.
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Slay instead spent the day in Philadelphia watching his former team host the San Francisco 49ers in a wild card game. He roamed the sidelines, greeting members of the team, and waving to fans in attendance.
Darius Slay — who is technically on the Bills, who are playing right now — is in Philadelphia today to watch the Eagles.pic.twitter.com/AJzTLUNt9V
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) January 11, 2026
The reason "technically" is the key term is that Slay has never suited up for the Buffalo Bills. He just happens to be on the roster. He started the season with the Pittsburgh Steelers and played in 10 games, but the team waived him.
The Bills then claimed the veteran cornerback while fighting for the AFC East crown, but he did not report to the team. Instead, he spoke to the team and informed them of his decision. The Bills responded by placing him on the reserve/did not report list.
Slay provided some more information about his surprising decision during a sitdown with the "Speakeasy" podcast. He told Emmanuel Ocho and LeSean McCoy that he had made a family decision and that he didn't feel like packing up and moving again after stints with the Lions, Eagles, and Steelers.
"I'm 13 years in, like, I done did it," he said. "Like, (the Bills) would have caught me at like 28, 29, I might have been like 'Ok.' That's a top organization. They have a lot of great things going.
"They win, they go to the playoffs, they got a franchise quarterback. So, it wasn't a bad fit, it just caught me at a bad time."
The veteran corner also indicated that the weather played a role in his decision. He said that he is from the south and that "it's cold as hell in Buffalo."
Slay has remained away from the Bills and the NFL since being claimed. Meanwhile, the team that claimed him went 12-5 in the regular season before defeating the Jaguars 27-24 in the wild-card round.
