Senate Resolution 62

A RESOLUTION EXTENDING THE CONGRATULATIONS OF THE MISSISSIPPI SENATE TO PHILADELPHIA EAGLES, FORMER MISSISSIPPI STATE BULLDOG AND FORMER ITAWAMBA COMMUNITY COLLEGE INDIANS CORNERBACK DARIUS SLAY, JR., FOR HIS OUTSTANDING 2025 SUPERBOWL CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON PERFORMANCE.

WHEREAS, as the final seconds ticked off the clock and brought the end to the 2024-2025 NFL season, Philadelphia Eagles, former Mississippi State Bulldog and former Itawamba Community College (ICC) Indians Cornerback Darius Slay, Jr., realized his lifelong dream of becoming a Super Bowl Champion. In the Eagles 40-22 rout over the Kansas City Chiefs, Mississippi State University was tied with Florida and Georgia with the most players on the Super Bowl LVII roster; and

WHEREAS, a native of Brunswick, Georgia, Darius Slay attended Brunswick High School, where he was a running back and defensive back and attended Itawamba Community College before transferring to Mississippi State University; and

WHEREAS, as a freshman at ICC, Slay earned First-Team Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges (MACJC) All-State and National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) All-Region 23 honors after record 41 tackles, three tackles for loss, one sack and forced two fumbles after only playing five games for Coach Jon Williams and the Indians. After his freshman season, he earned JC Gridwire Preseason Second-Team All-American honors. During his final season in Fulton, Slay played in all nine games, recorded 32 total tackles, one tackle for loss, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery, and had three catches for 63 yards and a touchdown. He earned MACJC First-Team All-State honors on defense and special teams; and

WHEREAS, after ICC, he played for Head Coach Dan Mullen's Mississippi State Bulldogs Football Team in 2011 and 2012. In his two seasons for Mississippi State, he had 64 tackles, six interceptions and two touchdowns; and

WHEREAS, the Detroit Lions selected Slay in the second round (36th overall) of the 2013 NFL Draft. Slay was the fifth cornerback drafted in 2013 and he entered training camp slated as a starting cornerback. On July 29, 2016, the Detroit Lions signed Slay to a four-year, $48.15 Million-Dollar contract extension; and

WHEREAS, on March 20, 2020, Slay was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles. On May 1, 2021, Slay switched his number from 24 to 2 per changes to the NFL's jersey rules. In week five against the Panthers, Slay recorded two interceptions off of Sam Darnold in the 21-18 win. During Slay's week eight homecoming game against the Lions, he recovered a fumble by D'Andre Swift and returned it for a 33-yard touchdown in the 44-6 win; and

WHEREAS, in week two of 2022 season, Slay had five passes defensed and two interceptions in a 24-7 win over the Minnesota Vikings, earning NFC Defensive Player of the Week. He finished the 2022 season with 55 total tackles, three interceptions, and 14 passes defended. Slay reached his first career Super Bowl when the Eagles defeated the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship Game. In the Super Bowl, Slay recorded four tackles but the Eagles lost 38-55 to the Kansas City Chiefs; and

WHEREAS, in 2024, Slay forced a fumble for the first time since 2016 during a 27-13 victory over the Pittsburg Steelers in week 15. He finished the 2024 season with 49 tackles, 13 passes defended, and one forced fumble. Although, Slay did not record an interception in the regular season for the first time since his rookie season, he would intercept Jordan Love during the Wild Card Round of the postseason in a 22-10 win over the Green Bay Packers. The Eagles would go on to dominate their rival the Washington Commanders by a score of 55-23 in the NFC Championship Game to advance to Super Bowl LIX. In a rematch of Super Bowl LVII two years earlier, Philadelphia avenged their defeat by dominating the two-time defending champion Kansas City Chiefs 40-22, giving Slay his first Super Bowl title; and

WHEREAS, Slay was given the nickname "Big Play Slay" upon transferring to Mississippi State in 2011. Slay has continued using the nickname during his NFL career, including referring to himself as such in player introductions during national telecasts, and hosts a weekly in-season podcast of the same name; and

WHEREAS, it is with great pride that we recognize a Mississippi sports icon who has brought honor on a national stage to his university and to the State of Mississippi:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby extend the congratulations of the Mississippi Senate to Philadelphia Eagles, former Mississippi State University Bulldog and former Itawamba Community College Indians Cornerback Darius Slay, Jr., for his outstanding 2025 Superbowl Championship season performance, and convey to Darius and his family our best wishes for future success.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to Eagles Cornerback Darius Slay, Jr., forwarded to the President of the Philadelphia Eagles, the Mississippi State University Athletic Director and the President of Itawamba Community College and made available to the Capitol Press Corps.