Former Steelers CB Darius Slay Seriously Shuts Down "Fire [Mike] Tomlin" Chants

The Pittsburgh Steelers are reliving yet another season where they start hot, then the rails fall off. That was very apparent last Sunday when the Steelers got dominated 26-7 by the Buffalo Bills. The Steelers were without Super Bowl champion cornerback Darius Slay as he has battled injuries all season, missing the Week 13 matchup as a healthy scratch. His subpar play ultimately led to him missing the contest in favor of Asante Samuel Jr. Slay was then released just a day later, ending his short tenure in the Steel City. 

It didn't take long for Slay to find a new home as the Bills claimed him on Wednesday. Slay recently appeared on the show Speakeasy, hosted by Emmanuel Acho, where he discussed his time in Pittsburgh. Slay cleared the air, confirming that there is no bad blood between the two parties. Slay was also asked about Mike Tomlin's message, whether it has "run stale," and whether he would be better off coaching another team. Slay went on to defend his now former head coach.

"I just can't see Mike T out of the Steelers organization. I know there's going to be a time where that happens because that's just what the game is," Slay stated on Speakeasy. "My time there with Mike T was amazing, he was a great mentor and great leader."

Mike Tomlin was hired as the Steelers head coach on January 27th, 2007. He is currently the NFL's longest-tenured head coach. In his 18 years, he has had no losing seasons, has won a Super Bowl, and has coached in two as the Steelers' lead man. Tomlin has been known as a players' coach by many, due to his ability to lead men and motivate his group. Despite this, the Steelers have not won a playoff game in eight seasons, and the playoff games they have played in have not been pretty. 

The Steelers are 6-6 now, and it doesn't look like that streak will be broken this year. They have been stuck in mediocrity for quite some time now, and fans are getting aggravated. "Fire Tomlin" chants were heard on Sunday's game at Acrisure Stadium during their loss to the Bills. After talking about why he was waived, Slay was then asked if Tomlin was the problem in Pittsburgh. 

"I wouldn't say he's the problem... It's just how it works, the chips ain't falling. Everyone's gonna have to go to the drawing board. Mike T holds the standard of what he likes, and what he likes is what he likes," Slay stated. "He's just got to make sure if he has the right group of guys that are gonna perform on an excellent level for him to get this job done. I'm sure he can find ways to get it done."

Will Former Steelers CB Darius Slay Play Again?

As mentioned, shortly after being waived by the Steelers, Slay was claimed by the Bills. While Slay is now technically a Buffalo Bill, he is refusing to report to Buffalo. So will he play again? Slay heavily hinted on the show that he was most likely retiring. However, when asked if it was the Philadelphia Eagles who claimed him instead, he would not give a direct answer. It seems though, that Slay's decision potentially would have been different had the Eagles claimed him, the team he had spent the last five seasons with. Slay is now in his 13th NFL season. 

It's hard to imagine Slay goes anywhere other than the Eagles. They could use help in the secondary, as they rank 18th in pass defense this season after being the 2nd-best in the NFL last season, per TeamRanking.com. 

What do you think? Is Darius Slay right? Is Mike Tomlin the problem? Let us know in the comments below.

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