(Long Island, N.Y.) The athlete is torn in two. On one hand, he feels obligated to do everything possible to get ready for the season and be a good teammate. But on the other hand, he has to look out for his own well being physically and financially.
Such is the case with Darelle Revis of the New York Jets, who finds himself in exactly the same quandary as mini camp opened for the team. He is considered one of – if not the best – corner-backs in the game, yet he is not getting a response that he expected to renegotiate his current contract.
With three years and $21 million remaining, Revis definitely deserves a raise, but probably not at the $16.2 million annually that he is seeking. Just because the Oakland Raiders – an organization known for throwing money around recklessly – gave fellow corner Nnmandi Asomugha $45.3 for three years doesn’t mean that the Jets are going to do the same.
Revis is happy in New York and reiterated that at camp. “I want to be a Jet forever,” he said. “I don’t want to get released or traded. One of my goals is to stay on one team, do what Darrell Green did. He played 20-something years for the Washington Redskins. I would like to do that.”
He is playing the good soldier and made the decision not to be a holdout but Revis did show his displeasure with a form of minor protest on Monday. He missed a number of plays with what was described as light-headedness and a hamstring injury. When asked about it a day later, he admitted, “the hamstring thing, I did go a little further. I didn’t have a hamstring, but the light-headedness, yes.”
So Revis, 24, made it obvious that he put the dog on a little, but he has not made that clear to his head coach. “I really haven’t had a chance to talk to Darrelle about it yet,” Rex Ryan said. “I think we’ll probably meet later today on it. It’s just not him. It’s uncharacteristic of him (to try and) get out of anything. I’ve got to hear it from the horse’s mouth. I know what he told you guys, but I’m sure there’s an explanation.”
The four-year pro out of Pittsburgh had 54 tackles and a career-high six interceptions in 2009, and along the way became the top cover corner in the NFL. Revis covered each opponent’s top wide receiver week in and week out so well that the location on the field where he plied his trade became known as ‘Revis Island.’ It isn’t too often that a piece of real estate becomes well know because of what doesn’t happen there, as Revis does his job with such ferocity that opposing quarterbacks tend to look away from his side of the field.
So this situation has a good chance of ending on a positive note for all involved. Revis wants to remain exactly where he is and the team realizes that he deserves to be compensated. A happy medium needs to be found so that the Jets can continue on their quest for a Super Bowl win. Revis was a huge reason why they made it to the AFC Championship last season and he will play a major role if they expect to return there and go even further.
