Darius Slayton stunned after EA "gets back" at WR as Madden 26 trailer highlights his worst nightmare

Darius Slayton may have found himself on the receiving end of a lighthearted jab from EA Sports — and he’s taking it in stride.

The New York Giants wideout was caught off guard when told he appeared in the newly released Madden 26 trailer. His moment? A drop along the sideline

In an appearance on "NFL Spotlight With Ari Meirov" on Tuesday, Slayton reacted live to the news.

“Nah. I gotta see this. I don’t know that. I’m gonna look it up after you get done with this,” Slayton said. “But you know what, though, I’ve been very critical of Madden over my career, so yeah, this probably [is] some form of get back on their part, which I can respect.”

While it’s unclear whether the digital drop was an intentional nod to Slayton’s real-life challenges, the timing of the trailer is intriguing. The veteran has struggled with drops in the past, recording seven in 2024 alone — the highest single-season total of his career.

Darius Slayton is entering his seventh NFL season after New York selected him in the fifth round of 2019.

Darius Slayton's hand issues reached career-high levels despite training efforts

NFL: Super Bowl LIX-NFLPA Press Conference - Source: Imagn

Darius Slayton's overall catch rate sits at 56.4%, below the league average of roughly 62% for starting receivers. In 2021, that number dipped further, with over 22 percent of his targets slipping through his hands as per Giants Wire.

Despite offseason work on refining his technique, Darius Slayton’s issues with consistency persisted last year. Still, the Giants saw value in re-signing him to a three-year, $36 million deal this spring.

The Auburn product posted 573 yards and two touchdowns on 39 catches in a reduced role in 2024, and remains a familiar face in New York’s offense.

Slayton’s name has also surfaced in conversations about the NFL’s potential expansion to an 18-game regular season. He called the idea “insane” and laid out several conditions he believes the NFL Players Association should fight for in the next CBA, as per Fox News.

Chief among them: making proven performance escalators guaranteed, increasing players’ share of revenue and ensuring teams boost investment in training staff and body maintenance.