With CB Darius Slay signing a one-year deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers this week, he is reuniting with his old defensive coordinator, Teryl Austin. Austin and Slay worked together on the Detroit Lions from 2014-2017, during which Slay blossomed into one of the premier defensive backs in the NFL. Now back in the same building, Slay reminisced about his time with Austin, praising his coaching and thanking him in a sit-down interview with Steelers.com’s Missi Matthews.
“At that time, we considered him one of the corner gurus ’cause we called him that,” said Slay. “With him just believing and trusting me and let me go out there and execute at a young age and playing at a high level, I can say he has helped me make a lot of money in this game, even though, you know, I put the work in. But he was always on me coaching me and making sure I was on my details and everything.”
While Darius Slay and Austin’s times coincided in Detroit, Slay tallied 14 interceptions, 69 pass breakups, 2020 tackles, and a forced fumble. In their last season together, 2017, Slay was a Pro Bowler and First Team All-Pro as he recorded a league-high eight interceptions and 26 pass breakups. Throughout Slay’s 12-year career, he has made a lot of money, $109,758,052 per Over The Cap, to be exact, and he clearly gives Austin a lot of credit for that.
Slay continued to have strong seasons after Austin’s tenure with the Lions. He made five more Pro Bowls and eventually won a Super Bowl with the Philadelphia Eagles, playing 81 percent of the snaps for them last season. Slay is still a good player, recording 13 pass breakups last year and one forced fumble while allowing only a 54.7 completion percentage when targeted and two touchdowns.
The Steelers are bringing Darius Slay in to help a defensive back group that struggled at times last year and mentor the young cornerbacks like Joey Porter Jr., Cory Trice Jr., and Beanie Bishop Jr. Slay’s comments about Austin being a “corner guru” have truth to them. Austin joined Pittsburgh in 2019, and immediately, the Steelers’ defensive backs had their best season in years as FS Minkah Fitzpatrick had arguably the best year of his career, and cornerbacks Joe Haden and Steven Nelson were lockdown.
In 2025, Austin will look to help develop a few of Pittsburgh’s young cornerbacks into blossoming superstars like he did with Darius Slay. Having Slay in the facility can create good habits and reinforce Austin’s messaging, showing how lucrative taking his advice can be. After all, it helped Slay make over $100,000,000.
