Before a comeback parade with the Cardinals, Patrick Peterson was in Pittsburgh. Now, Darius Slay has just gone there to outshine Peterson’s Steel City legacy. Can one more veteran corner still get it done for the Steelers? Peterson tried to be that guy in 2023. He even offered to switch to safety to keep the train rolling. “I’m that guy that’s willing to play wherever, whenever, however you need me,” he said.
And credit where it’s due—he did what they asked him to do. But the clock eventually caught up. The Steelers cut him before the 2024 season, and no one else picked him up. Just like that, the book closed. Now here comes Darius, who’s expected to Slay, unlike Peterson before him. Mike Tomlin isn’t pretending otherwise. “We’ve done short-term business at the cornerback position before,” he said. “Pat P… that’s a guy we’ve got a lot of respect for.”
Okay, respect doesn’t get you through the January postseason slump. But Patrick is a legend, nonetheless. Let’s not remember the hard times because there are a lot of happy Pat P moments. And Darius knows it, too. He took to Instagram to salute one of the greats. “Congrats on an amazing career!! One of the best to do it @realpatrickpeterson,” Slay posted on his story. Simple, but it hit the note. Cornerbacks know cornerbacks. More importantly, they know the game.
Peterson’s résumé is hard to ignore. Eight Pro Bowls. Three All-Pro selections. A spot on the 2010s All-Decade team. And a 13-year career that started with a bang in Arizona. He was drafted fifth overall by the Cardinals in 2011 and instantly became a problem—for everyone else. Four punt return touchdowns as a rookie. Seven straight Pro Bowls. Lockdown ability that made quarterbacks double-think before even looking his way.
He spent ten dominant seasons in the desert before taking his talents to Minnesota and later Pittsburgh. Even in the twilight of his career, he stayed relevant. In 2022, at age 32, he had five interceptions for the Vikings. In 2023, he wrapped things up with the Steelers, playing 17 games and contributing two more picks.
Now, he will retire with 36 interceptions, 122 pass breakups, and 652 tackles. He’s hanging it up where it all started—in Arizona. Fitting, really. But now that Peterson’s out, what’s next in Arizona’s cornerback room? That brings us to Max Melton—the rookie expected to step into the spotlight. Is he ready to carry the torch?
Max Melton is ready
If you watched Max Melton early last season, you saw a kid getting baptized in flames. Back-to-back rough ones against the Chargers and Dolphins had him playing catch-up—literally. “Shoot, getting beat is going to teach you, you know what I’m saying?” Melton said. And yeah, we do. Every rookie corner has that moment when the NFL feels like it’s running a 4.2 40 against you. Melton had his. But then something clicked.
By November, you could see it—Max started playing like a guy who knew what was coming. He wasn’t just reacting, he was processing. Thinking like a vet. “Knowing the why behind the calls is very important,” he said. It sounds simple, but for a corner, it’s everything. You’ve got to know where your help is, when to gamble, and when to stay put.
But Max’s efforts didn’t go unnoticed. DC Nick Rallis saw his press coverage take a leap. Coach Gannon? He said Melton started making fewer mental errors, understanding spacing, taking the coaching and running with it. Literally.
And here’s the thing—Melton didn’t allow a single touchdown all year. Not one. He played in all 17 games, started three, and finished with 45 tackles, five pass breakups, and one forced fumble. That’s not just growth—that’s a foundation. He’s on year two of his rookie deal, and the Cardinals expect him to be more than a rotation guy. “I think Max has done a really good job of being a student of the game,” CB coach Ryan Smith said. And yeah, you don’t throw that kind of praise around unless a guy’s showing up, locked in.
So, what’s next? “It’s only going to get better from here,” Melton said. And you kind of believe him. Because after a “growing season,” Melton looks like a dude ready to grow into the role.
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