Eagles’ Darius Slay puts NFL on notice, calls for more player protection after Damar Hamlin incident
Darius Slay is one of the NFL's top cornerbacks and one to rarely shy away from sharing his opinion. Amid the incident involving Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin, Slay shared his thoughts on the NFL and its current 18-game schedule. The Philadelphia Eagles star spoke on "The Volume" about players needing more rest and protection.
Slay said:
"I'm cool with a little extra little paycheck but that paycheck ain't worth my body. Y'all need to go and make another adjustment here. We need two bye weeks then. Come on now. Let's, hey, let's work together now and trade for a trade. We giving y'all an extra game. Give us an extra bye week."
“Trade for a trade: we give y’all an extra game, give us an extra bye week”
—@bigplay24slay wants the NFL to do more to protect players https://t.co/JkpvUQYaPz
In Week 17 on Monday Night Football, the Bills faced the Cincinnati Bengals in a marquee matchup. However, late in the first quarter, Hamlin got up after making a tackle but collapsed back to the ground. Medical personnel assisted him for around 15 minutes and administered CPR in the process.
Ultimately, an ambulance entered Paycor Stadium as Hamlin was strapped to a stretcher and taken off the field. He was transported to the nearby University of Cincinnati Medical Center for further treatment. The Bills released a statement on the state of Hamlin's health, noting that he is making steady progress.
For Darius Slay, what happened to the Bills safety is a wake-up call that the NFL needs to do more for the players.
Darius Slay on other player safety concerns in the NFL
The Philadelphia Eagles defender didn't stop at the need for player protection, explaining the risks players take weekly.
Darius Slay added:
"That's what the part of the game was. That's what we signed up for. Injuries do happen but as a team we always believe the next man up. Next man mentality."
In March 2021, the league officially added a 17th game and an 18th week to the schedule. The players still have one bye week despite the additional game. As for the turf, six NFL stadiums still have some form of artificial turf called slit film turfs.
There have been notable ACL injuries as a result of these fields. Injuries include New York Giants receiver Sterling Shepard and free agent wideout Odell Beckham Jr. Darius Slay wants the league to know that player safety is important and should be addressed.
If you use any of the above quotes, please credit The Volume and H/T Sportskeeda.