It was meant to be this way. It was never permanent, but I'll be damned if it wasn't perfect while it lasted. March 12th, 2014. That was the day the Patriots signed Pro Bowl cornerback Darrelle Revis to a two-year, $32 million contract. Few thought that after the first year the Patriots wouldn't tear up this contract, and try to re-structure a long term deal with Revis as he was scheduled to make $20 million in 2015. So he played in New England, and would worry about staying or leaving when the time came. And my God, was he amazing.
The best cover corner on any Bill Belichick Patriots team. (Sorry Ty Law & Asante Samuel) Week in, week out, basically shutting down any receiver he was assigned to cover. Brandon Marshall, Calvin Johnson, it didn't matter. Revis basically took away half of the field every game he was on it wearing a Patriots uniform, forcing opposing quarterbacks to throw to their 2nd or 3rd targets. I can't remember one touchdown this year that Revis was burned on. Doug Baldwin scored a TD against Revis in the Super Bowl thanks in large part to a stellar pick thrown by one of the referees standing in the endzone. He was hands down the greatest one and done player in the Belichick/Brady era, and perhaps the single best defensive player on any Belichick coached Patriots team.
He will be missed, but the move to go back to the Jets is not that surprising. When Revis was cut last year by the Buccaneers, many thought Revis would head back to New York, but the Jets wouldn't offer him a large enough contract. So, he chased a ring, and signed with the Patriots. I'm biased as a Patriots fan, so obviously I wish he stayed, but I understand why he left. His heart was always in New York, and part of me knew that. I tried to convince myself after the Super Bowl that maybe because they won, he'd restructure his contract and try to win more rings with Brady and Belichick. Maybe he'd gotten the taste of a championship and that would change his mind into staying. But it didn't and he's now returning to the team that he started his career with. And Brady & Bill? They'll be just fine. They'll continue basking in their latest championship, and then turn their focus onto their next one. Thank you, Darrelle. For everything.
- Cameron
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| Revis moments after Malcolm Butler's Super Bowl winning interception |
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