Darius Slay apologizes for comments about Brazil ahead of Eagles game in São Paulo

Eagles cornerback Darius Slay apologized on social media Tuesday night for comments he made last week on his podcast about the team’s season-opening trip to Brazil.

“I want to apologize to anyone I offended, that wasn’t my intention,” Slay wrote on X on the eve of the team’s 10-hour flight from Philadelphia to São Paulo, Brazil, where the Eagles open their season against the Green Bay Packers on Friday night.

Slay was one of a few Eagles who voiced their concerns about the trip, saying on his podcast that he told his family not to join the team in São Paulo, citing worries about crime in the city of more than 11 million people.

“Man, I do not want to go to Brazil,” he said. “They already told us not to leave the hotel. … NFL, why do y’all want to send us somewhere where the crime rate is this high?”

The Eagles, according to assistant general manager Jon Ferrari, have not been told they cannot leave the team hotel.

» READ MORE: Some Eagles are worried about the São Paulo trip. Tanner McKee aims to talk them down.

Asked on Monday, a few days after the podcast aired, how he felt about the trip, Slay pulled back on the criticism.

“It is what it is,” he said. “I’m really going down there to focus on getting this dub, really. I ain’t leaving. I’m going to be in the room playing the game.”

He was referring to Call of Duty: Warzone, the video game Slay said he would spend a large chunk of the long flight playing, as long as the internet strength on the Boeing 777 the team used supported it. The length of the flight was also a point of contention from Slay, who said on a previous podcast: “I just don’t feel like traveling 10 hours to go do my job.”

The Eagles’ trip to Brazil for the NFL’s first South American game has featured some drama, perhaps most of it overblown. That includes the ban on green jerseys that wasn’t.

As a reminder, green jerseys are not banned at Corinthians Arena, despite what your favorite, least-informed social media account told you. The local soccer team, Corinthians, wears black and white, and its rival, Palmeiras, wears green. The Derby Paulista (English translation: Derby of São Paulo) is one of the fiercest rivalries in Brazilian soccer. There is an informal ban on wearing green for soccer games in the stadium, but green jerseys will be seen on Packers and Eagles fans Friday night.

The Eagles opted to give a nod to Corinthians by debuting a new jersey color combination for the game. They will wear black helmets, white jerseys, and black pants. The Packers are wearing green.

» READ MORE: Eagles to wear new color combo in Brazil, a nod to the local soccer team

Green jersey drama aside, Slay’s concerns about the flight time at least were warranted. The Eagles are putting a lot of effort into making sure their players are adequately hydrated before, during, and especially after the game and are hoping there are no lingering effects from the long travel. They don’t play again after Friday until Sept. 16, their Monday Night Football home opener vs. Atlanta.

The team was told to try to stay awake on the flight. The plan was to arrive in São Paulo late Wednesday night, eat a meal, get a normal night of sleep in, and then have a walk-through on Thursday. São Paulo is one hour ahead of Philadelphia, so there’s little concern about adjusting to the time difference.

But Slay, like a few of his other teammates, said he probably would be sleeping on a portion of the flight. He was standing Monday afternoon at his locker stall, which is next to rookie Quinyon Mitchell’s, and joked that he hoped to be sitting next to Mitchell on the flight so they could hang out. He was then asked how he knew Mitchell, who seems in line to get a lot of playing time right away, was ready for the NFL.

» READ MORE: What Brazil’s ban on X means for Eagles fans — both in São Paulo and watching from home

“He’s been ready since he stepped out of his mama,” Slay said. “He’s already destined for it.

“I just told him to have fun. Play fast, play smart. Try not to do nothing out of the ordinary. Just do as we’re taught and coached and let your ability take over.”

Slay’s only lament, of course, was that Mitchell’s debut wasn’t at Lincoln Financial Field.

“Because it’s a home game,” Slay said. “But we’re going to have a good time with it.”