Mississippi State cornerback Darius Slay and Ole Miss defensive lineman Tony Bennett were named to the 2026 Southeastern Conference Football Legends class and will be honored during the conference’s Weekend of Champions in Atlanta, the conference announced, SuperTalk Mississippi reported.
Mississippi State nominated Slay to represent the Bulldogs. Slay, a Georgia native, played at Mississippi State in 2011–12 after two years at Itawamba Community College. In his two seasons with the Bulldogs he recorded 37 tackles and six interceptions and earned All-SEC honors as a senior, SuperTalk Mississippi reported.
Slay was drafted early in the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions. He spent 13 seasons in the NFL with the Lions, Philadelphia Eagles and Pittsburgh Steelers, was a six-time Pro Bowler, was part of the Eagles’ Super Bowl LIX run, and announced his retirement in March 2026, the report said.
Ole Miss nominated Tony Bennett to represent the Rebels. Bennett, from Alligator, Mississippi, finished his Ole Miss career with 207 tackles, 19 tackles for loss and 11 sacks and played defensive end, nose guard and linebacker, SuperTalk Mississippi reported.
Bennett was the 18th overall pick in the 1990 NFL Draft by the Green Bay Packers. He played with the Packers from 1990–93 and the Indianapolis Colts from 1994–97 and was named a linebacker on the Ole Miss Team of the Century in 1993, the report said.
The 2026 SEC Football Legends class will be formally recognized during the SEC Legends Celebration on Dec. 4 at the College Football Hall of Fame and again before the SEC Football Championship Game at Mercedes‑Benz Stadium on Dec. 5, SuperTalk Mississippi reported.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
