Matt Patricia praises Darius Slay for his help
When Matt Patricia became head coach of the Lions, he and Detroit cornerback Darius Slay did not get along. Slay eventually was traded to the Eagles.
When Patricia became a member of the coaching staff in Philadelphia, some wondered whether there would be renewed animosity. It's been the exact opposite.
"It's been awesome for me to be back around Slay and really have an unbelievable relationship," Patricia told reporters on Thursday. "He's a great guy. He's super kind, super funny, very determined. He's everything that he is.
"Obviously, just so appreciative of him and our conversation that we had in the spring and just helping me. Honestly, he's helped me a lot. In the spring, just getting acclimated and just talking through, and honestly, he's one of the guys I knew coming in the building. You know how it is when you go to a new place, and you are trying to learn people, you gravitate towards the ones you know. He's out there with arms open and helped me fit in and feel comfortable. I'm really very grateful to him for that.
"As you go through life and you grow and learn and hopefully improve and get better as a person, from me personally, where I was whenever that was, I'm just trying to be a better person every day. I'm just really thankful to him for that. Then, you roll into the season, and you play football and talking technique. We were out there post-practice one day and he was working on some man-to-man techniques and footwork with the young guys, and I was watching, and we were just kind of talking about techniques, and you get back into the football fundamentals of it, which he's super great at. That was fun. You're back coaching and teaching, and a couple of things we were talking about, which was really cool.
"And then getting into the season and he obviously knew maybe the first game of the year, so it was going to be tough for me. He was there and made sure I was okay and that was awesome. That was awesome. So, I think, look, everybody tries to grow as people and sit down and come together and go forward. That's what's been really, really awesome and cool about it. I love that. I don't think all of us are ever our most perfect selves our entire lives. I don't think that has ever happened. So, it's good for me to be able to come back and build some of those relationships the way that you want them."
It's a great example of how people can indeed grow and mature. Patricia, fresh from an extended time with Bill Belichick, approached Slay a certain way. It didn't work. Patricia has learned from that.
Slay has matured as well. He quite possibly understands what Patricia was trying to do, as he attempted to turn the Lions into a winner.
Now, they're on the same team, again. This time, they're on the same page. The Eagles will need that as they try to get ready for a deep run into the playoffs.
