BREAKING NEW: Former Detroit Lion Jason Cabinda Reveals How Matt Patricia Disrespected Darius Slay in Front of Locker Room when they never…see more

Former Detroit Lions fullback Jason Cabinda is shedding new light on the tumultuous tenure of ex-head coach Matt Patricia, revealing a previously undisclosed incident involving star cornerback Darius Slay that stunned the locker room and deepened rifts within the team.

In a recent appearance on The Players’ Roundtable podcast, Cabinda described a heated moment during the 2018 season when Patricia publicly humiliated Slay in front of teammates during a team meeting — an incident Cabinda claims was emblematic of Patricia’s “toxic” leadership style.

“They never saw eye to eye, but that day was next-level disrespect,” Cabinda said. “Coach [Patricia] called him out in front of everybody, questioned his commitment, and even mocked his social media posts. The room went dead silent. It was like everyone realized at that moment — this isn’t about football anymore.”

According to Cabinda, Patricia took issue with a photo Slay had posted in the offseason working out with another top NFL receiver, using it as an excuse to question Slay’s loyalty and professionalism. The exchange reportedly left Slay furious and further alienated from the coaching staff.

The revelation adds new context to Slay’s eventual departure from Detroit in 2020, when he was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles. At the time, Slay hinted at lingering disrespect but had not fully detailed the internal tension.

Cabinda’s comments have reignited criticism of Patricia’s time in Detroit, where he amassed a 13–29–1 record and was widely criticized for his authoritarian approach. Many former players have since spoken out about the culture under his leadership, but Cabinda’s story adds a firsthand account of a moment that may have fractured the team beyond repair.

As of Saturday, neither Matt Patricia nor Darius Slay has responded publicly to Cabinda’s statements.

More to come as this story develops.