(Getty)
Darrelle Revis has officially signed with his former team, the New York Jets. The cornerback became a free agent after the Patriots decided not to pick up the $20 million option on his contract.
Here’s what you need to know:
1. The Deal Guarantees $39 Million
(Getty)
Revis’s new deal will make him the highest paid cornerback in league history. His contract is worth up to $70 million and has $39 million guaranteed over five years.
Full terms RT @MMehtaNYDN: Breakdown of Revis contract: $16M FULLY gtd, $17M fully guaranteed, $15M ($6M fully gtd), $11M, $11M #nyj
2. Revis Played His First Six Seasons With the Team
(Getty)
The Jets traded up to take Revis 14th overall in the 2007 draft. Contract negotiations caused Revis to miss the first three weeks of his first camp, but he and the team eventually agreed on a five-year, $36 million deal.
He again missed training camp time because of a holdout in the 2010 season. This time, the sides agreed on a four-year, $32 million contract.
Revis was a huge piece that kept the Jets defense one of the top three in the league and got the team to consecutive AFC Championship games in 2009 and 2010.
3. Revis Won the Super Bowl Last Season
Darrelle Revis celebrates with fans after winning his first trip to the Super Bowl. (Getty)
Revis Finally won his first Super Bowl last season — with the Patriots, one of the Jets’ fiercest rivals.
He had an interception against Andrew Luck in the AFC Championship game.
4. Revis Was Traded By the Jets in 2013
(Getty)
In the first game of the 2012 season, Revis suffered a concussion that caused him to miss Week 2. When he returned in Week 3, he tore his ACL. After missing the remainder of the season, Revis was traded to the Buccaneers on April 21, 2013. In return, the Jets got a first-round pick in the 2013 Draft, used on Sheldon Richardson, and a fourth-round pick for 2014. Richardson made the Jets appreciate the move when he was named Defensive Rookie of the Year.
Revis set the Jets record for most career passes defended with 98 and tied the record for longest interception returned for a touchdown with 100 yards. This record-tying score came in the 2011 season against the Miami Dolphins and caused a lot of controversy as there was a clear holding call missed on the play.
5. Woody Johnson Expressed Interest in Him After the Regular Season
(Getty)
Jets owner Woody Johnson recently said he would like to have Revis back on the team, but later said he misspoke, according to the New York Daily News.
During his postseason press conference, primarily to discuss firing coach Rex Ryan and general manager John Idzik, Johnson mentioned the team’s decision to not bring Revis back after being released by the Buccaneers. These remarks came after Johnson was told by PR he was not allowed to talk about players on other teams. The team holds the option on whether he stays, but if they keep him, they’ll face a $25 million cap hit, according to HNGN. The website suggests the team would be better off with a more manageable extension, but Revis has a history of holding out.
Here’s what Johnson had to say at the press conference:
“Darrelle is a great player. If I thought I could have gotten Darrelle, for that (contract), I probably would have taken him. … It was our best judgment to do what we did. But Darrelle’s a great player. I’d love Darrelle to come back.
Revis still has a year left on his contract with the Patriots, but is expected to become a free agent after their season ends.
Johnson’s tampering comments led to a reaction from Patriots coach Bill Belichick.
“I would think that the league would look into those comments. … I’m sure that’s something that they would look into,” Belichick said on WEEI in Boston.
After Belichick’s statement, Johnson said he had misspoke when he made his earlier comments.
“I misspoke today when I commented on Darrelle Revis,” Johnson said in a statement. “I would never interfere in the contractual relationship of a player with another team and should not have used those words. I called Robert Kraft this afternoon to emphasize those points.”
