Eagles secret weapon kept Darius Slay from joining an AFC contender

In 2022, the Philadelphia Eagles soared to a Super Bowl LVII appearance with a defense that allowed the fewest passing yards per game (179.8) in the league. Cornerback Darius Slay was a pivotal part of Philadelphia's defensive success that year. Through his first two seasons with the Eagles, Slay collected seven interceptions and two touchdowns on fumble recoveries.

Last offseason, his time in Philadelphia appeared to be coming to an unceremonious. The Eagles granted Slay permission to seek a trade as he entered the final year of his contract. Ultimately, Slay managed to remain with the Eagles. Slay signed a three-year, $42 million contract that secured his future in Philadelphia.

Slay was almost a different bird, however. On his "Big Play Slay" podcast last April, the five-time Pro Bowl cornerback said that he came incredibly close to signing with the Baltimore Ravens.

"I was almost — this close — a Baltimore Raven," Slay said at the time. "I was this close. This close."

Slay returned to Eagles because of 'Big Dom' DiSandro

Slay provided more insight into his decision to stay in Philadelphia during a recent appearance on the "Pulp Phiction" podcast. Slay said that Eagles security chief Dom DiSandro was the reason why he chose not to sign with Baltimore last offseason.

"I love Dom, man," Slay said. "Dom's the reason I came back to Philly. ... I almost was a Baltimore Raven, though. I really committed to the Ravens, but then Dom called me and said, 'Slay, I want you here.' And I'm like, 'You know what, Dom? You calling me Dom, I'm coming back.' I love Dom. He looks out for me and my family, makes sure everybody is good, so I gotta always show love."

DiSandro, who is affectionately referred to as "Big Dom" across the Eagles organization, came into the spotlight during a heavyweight bout against the San Fransisco 49ers in Week 13 of the 2023 season.

The game featured a sideline scuffle between Eagles security chief Dom DiSandro and 49ers linebacker Dre Greenlaw, who were both ejected from the game. The league then suspended the Eagles' chief security officer for the remainder of the regular season.

Before that that game, the Eagles had soared through the early portion of the season and perched themselves atop the NFC with a 10-1 record. The Niners seemingly clipped the Eagles' wings, and Philadelphia's loss marked the beginning of their unraveling. The Eagles finished their season in a nosedive, losing five of their last six regular seasons games. Head coach Nick Sirianni couldn't stop the team's collapse, and the Eagles flamed out in the opening round of the playoffs.

According to reports, many of the Eagles' late-season struggles were a byproduct of DiSandro's missing presence on the sidelines. DiSandro would reportedly keep Sirianni's emotions in check during games. In his absence, Sirianni got into multiple arguments with players and other coaches during games. 

Eagles linebacker Nakobe Dean told the Philadelphia Inquirer that DiSandro played a "fix-it" role on the team. Kicker Jake Elliott called DiSandro a "do-it-all guy." 

After serving his suspension, "Big Dom" returned to the sideline for Philadelphia's playoff game, but his presence didn't make any difference. The Eagles were put out of their misery with a 32-9 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC Wild Card.

As beloved as DiSandro is, his presence alone isn't enough to help the Eagles win or lose. Philadelphia's defense played a large role in their demise last season. The defense was no longer the dominant unit that led them to a Super Bowl appearance in the 2022 season. The Eagles finished the 2023 campaign with the second-worst pass defense in the league.

It was evident that general manager Howie Roseman approached this offseason with the intent to overhaul an aging secondary. After reconciling with Gardner-Johnson, Roseman selected Toledo cornerback Quinyon Mitchell and Iowa cornerback Cooper DeJean in the first two rounds of the 2024 NFL Draft.