NFL legend Darrelle Revis officially announced his retirement this week. The New York Jets have wasted no time in paying their respects to a franchise great.
Revis spent his prime years as the best cornerback in the league with the Jets. CEO Christopher Johnson was among those to pay homage to him via the team's official website:
“Darrelle Revis is one of the greatest players to ever wear a Jets jersey and one of the most dominant defensive players in the history of professional football,” Johnson said in a statement. “Darrelle’s preparation, competitiveness, intelligence, and attention to detail are a reflection of his dedication to the game and his teammates. Just as remarkable is Darrelle’s humility and how approachable he is off the field. Jets fans everywhere slept well at night confident that receivers would be stranded on Revis Island.”
Head coach Todd Bowles doubled down on Johnson's comments.
“Darrelle is one of the best technicians to ever play the cornerback position,” Bowles said. “As a defensive backs coach, you used his film as teaching tape for young players. I spent two seasons with Darrelle and he stands out as one of the smartest players I have ever coached. Darrelle was also a player with a relentless dedication to preparation who set a high standard for how he practiced every day. He walks away from this game leaving a stamp that everyone who knows the game will remember.”
Revis spent the final stretch of his career playing for a number of teams. However, there is no debate that his best stint came in a Jets uniform.
It goes without saying that Revis was the gold standard for elite corner's in the NFL for quite some time. During that time he earned seven trips to the Pro Bowl, four first-team All-Pro's, and a Super Bowl. His mere 29 career interceptions are largely an indication of how sparingly teams threw his way out of mere respect. For years “Revis Island” served as a one-day jail sentence for wide receivers on Sundays.
Revis' impact on the game was not limited to his play. He also managed to set the market for players looking to maximize their value following various notable holdouts throughout his career. Despite the carousel toward the end, Revis should undoubtedly go down as a first-ballot Hall of Famer.
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