Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis has had a rough season, so far. Repeatedly beaten on the field by great receivers like A.J. Green and journeymen like Marquise Goodwin, Revis also has faced criticism for work habits that supposedly have contributed to his decline.
Jason Cole of BleacherReport.com recently reported that Revis is out of shape. Revis believes that report came from his former agents, Neil Schwartz and Jonathan Feinsod. (Cole later claimed that the information came from people who had worked out with Revis during the offseason.)
“Yeah, no doubt,” Revis said Wednesday, via the Associated Press. “No doubt. Definitely.”
Revis parted ways with Schwartz and Feinsod earlier this year.
“If that’s how they want to approach it, that’s how they approach it on their end,” Revis said regarding the agents. “This is just how they approached it. That has nothing to do with me.”
Reached for comment on the matter, Schwartz echoed the comment he provided to PFT when news emerged that Revis had changed agents: “As I previously stated, Jonathan and I only wish Darrelle the best of luck.”
It’s actually not in the best business interests of Schwartz or Feinsod to publicly or privately criticize Revis. They’ll continue to collect a fee for as long as his current contract is in place. If he gets cut by the Jets, they don’t get paid.
Revis still has not hired new agents. It probably would be in his best business interests to do so; skilled agents would know how to properly push back against media members who have joined in the anti-Revis feeding frenzy, getting them to soften their assessment at a minimum and, at best, to move on to other topics.
Skilled agents also would be in position to advise Revis regarding what he should and shouldn’t be saying, at press conferences, on Twitter, or elsewhere, about what appears to be the commencement of the decline of his career. The problem is that few skilled agents will be inclined to offer representation to Revis at a time when his current contract will result in Schwartz and Feinsod getting the fees.