Seriously, throughout the career of the Pro Bowl cornerback, drama has followed him like a bad dream. So I find it rather interesting when Revis tells the media that it is time for the Jets to respect him with class and make sure he retires a Jet, when one considers it was Revis who has never handled anything with class when it comes to his rocky relationship with the Jets.
Here is the quote:
"Would I love to be here? Yes. Will I be back? That's a great question. My thing is this: Do the New York Jets want to treat my situation with class or no class? With me being one of the best players in the history of the franchise, do they want me to retire here or not retire here?" Revis said.
It doesn't sound like Revis is saying that he loves being a Jet. It sounds more like a guy who is still full of contempt for the franchise, and is more concerned about getting his money.
Whether it was injury or not is irrelevant, because Revis played the 2016 season as if he was totally oblivious. Too many times he would play seven yards off the line of scrimmage. Too many times he would come in late on tackles, or not even complete a full wrap up of the receiver he was covering. He was beat consistently, as quarterbacks had a 108.9 rating against him. He only defending four passes this year, and never recorded an interception.
Receivers are not scared of him anymore. Quarterbacks don't care if he gets a hand on a pass anymore. Revis is finished as a player.
The fact that Revis feels he's entitled to be treated with kid gloves is a total joke in of itself. Let's remember this is the same Darrelle Revis who dragged a contract negotiation deep into the summer back in 2010 to the point it looked like both sides would never come together. Remember the Hard Knocks episode at the time when head coach Rex Ryan was in Mike Tannenbaum's office screaming at Revis' agent over the phone?
Eventually Revis agreed to a four year, $32 million deal just a week before the season opener against Baltimore that year.
This is the same Darrelle Revis who wanted more money from the Jets two years later in 2012. He hinted at another prolonged hold out, but decided to play through the season before suffering an ACL injury in a game at Miami that season.
This is the same Darrelle Revis, who coming off that injury wanted his contract renegotiated to the point that the Jets felt obligated to get him out of town and traded him to the Buccaneers. He signed a six-year $96 million deal with Tampa, making him the highest paid player at his position. He played well that year and was then released because his contract was killing the Buccaneers.
After toying with the Jets, Revis then decided to opt for the ultimate betrayal and signed with the rival Patriots and won a Super Bowl with them in 2014.
Throughout his career, Revis has been a greedy player who always felt he was underpaid and unappreciated. He never truly enveloped the role of being a New York Jet, instead toying with the franchise for the past seven years. He may be a Hall of Fame player, but as a person, Revis is far from it.
As his old teammate, Damien Woody said, football is a cold business. The Jets owe Revis nothing. He gave them three outstanding years in 2008, 2009 and 2011 where he was indeed the best cornerback in the sport. But now, at age 31 with his skills diminishing and his enthusiasm for football in question, the Jets are best suited to cut ties with him and move on.
If they cut him, the Jets will save $9 million on the cap. If he stays, the Jets will owe him $15.5 million. In other words his time with the Jets is over. If Revis wants to keep playing, maybe the Patriots will welcome him back with open arms.
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