The Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs both have several players with past ties to the Detroit Lions.

Currently, four former Lions players are part of the rosters of the teams competing in Super Bowl 59 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Defensive backs Darius Slay and C.J. Gardner-Johnson are the only two ex-Lions on the active roster for the Eagles. Meanwhile, defensive lineman Charles Harris (Eagles) and tight end Anthony Firkser (Chiefs) are on their respective practice squads.

Slay, 34, has been praised by many in the Eagles’ defense and coaching staff for his role in helping develop the team’s young defensive backs, including rookies Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean.

“I think having a veteran who openly shares his struggles from his early years, whether on or off the field, and passes on those lessons to the younger guys is invaluable,” said Eagles secondary coach Christian Parker. “Darius really embraces this role because he had strong mentors early in his career in Detroit. He understands how impactful that was for him and aims to have the same effect on these young players.”

Parker added, “He’s an outstanding teammate. I’m grateful to have the chance to coach him, and I’m thankful our young players can learn from him as well.”

Mitchell also spoke about Slay’s mentorship, noting that not all veterans are as welcoming to rookies.

“He’s been a huge help to me,” Mitchell shared during his media availability. “I don’t think I’d be where I am without him. He’s been like a big brother and a great teammate. I can talk to him about anything—football-related or personal. It’s not always the case with veterans on other teams, but here, we’ve got some great ones.”