The Philadelphia Eagles were the class of the NFC during the 2022 season, and they were on their way to defending that title last year when the team went into an end-of-season slump that cost them the NFC East title. A series of moves in the offseason — with the most important being the retirement of center Jason Kelce — may make it difficult for the Eagles to get back to a top level in the foreseeable future.

Eagles cornerback Darius Slay is one of the top players at his position. He has been in the the NFL for 11 years, and has played the last 4 seasons with the Eagles. He was effusive in his praise for Kelce, and said the long-time anchor of the team’s offensive line will be missed quite a bit.

Darius Slay offers tribute for retired center Jason Kelce

“I called him the GOAT, and that’s something he didn’t like,” Slay said. “He said he didn’t deserve that kind of nickname because he was just a hard working player, but I still called him the GOAT. He was a great player for a long time, but it was more than that. Jason did not just say with his offensive teammates. He mixed with the defense and he was a great leader. He is appreciated by his teammates and by the city of Philadelphia.”