The Philadelphia Eagles announced they were releasing cornerback Darius Slay on Monday in a shocking move following the team’s Super Bowl LIX win this past postseason.

Slay was designated as a post-June 1 cut after spending the last five years with the Eagles, reaching the playoffs in four of those years. The 34-year-old could still return to Philly at a lower price point, according to NBC Sports’ John Clark, but he’s also expected to command a decent market when free agency officially kicks off in a little over a week.

One of Slay’s preferred landing spots could be the team which drafted him over a decade ago: the Detroit Lions. 

Slay spoke with Amon-Ra St. Brown and Equanimeous St. Brown on an episode of the St. Brown Podcast in February about his playing future and said he would absolutely consider returning to Detroit if he and the Eagles parted ways this offseason.

“I love Detroit, I got nothing but love, that’s my second home,” Slay said. “I do a lot for the city still, to this day… For sure the two spots I would love to always be at is Philly or Detroit. The main two, the main ones I’d love to be at.”

Slay played with the Lions for the first seven seasons of his career, which included a stellar All-Pro campaign in 2017 when he led the league with eight interceptions and 26 passes defended.

Given that the Lions faced a daunting set of injuries on the defensive front during their postseason push last winter, bringing on a familiar face like Slay doesn’t feel too far-fetched. Expect the veteran defensive back to weigh his options very carefully this offseason.

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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Darius Slay’s Quote About Playing for NFC Rival Resurfaces After Eagles Release CB.