Darius Slay knows the Philadelphia Eagles’ locker room, Jalen Hurts, and A.J. Brown better than most people discussing the team from the outside. That made Slay’s national television debut on ESPN’s NFL Live notable, especially when the former Eagles cornerback was asked about the public conversation surrounding Hurts, Brown, and Philadelphia’s evolving offense. Slay, who spent five seasons with the Eagles, defended both players while offering insight into the personalities that helped shape one of the NFL’s most talented locker rooms.
“I’ve been in the locker room for a long time, five years there,” Slay said. “I got a great history with these guys, man. Both of these guys as well. They both great people. A.J.’s a great teammate, one of the best teammates. Hurts is the same way. He’s a great leader. They both leads in different ways.”
Slay described Brown as more reserved and Hurts as more vocal because of his role as the quarterback. He also pushed back against the idea that Brown’s individual ambition should be viewed as a negative, saying elite players are naturally driven by both team success and personal accomplishments.
“A.J., for sure, is a win-first guy,” Slay said. “But as you’re a player playing this game, you do want to have your own individual goals. I don’t ever got to know a guy that’s that elite that just don’t want his accomplishments to be acknowledged.”
That part of Slay’s appearance mattered because Brown is no longer on the Eagles’ roster, and Philadelphia has moved into a new phase offensively. Jeremy Fowler reported during the segment that the Eagles are expected to have more of an “equal opportunity” passing offense with Brown gone, with DeVonta Smith comfortable operating as a No. 1 wide receiver. Fowler also pointed to Smith’s chemistry with Hurts from their Alabama days and mentioned Makai Lemon and Eli Stowers as young options who could help replace production.