Someone in Darrelle Revis’ camp reportedly had some salt to throw into the Jets’ wounds after the trade with the Buccaneers was finalized on Sunday, but Revis himself had a more charitable way of saying goodbye.
Revis, the team’s first-round pick in 2007, spent six years with the Jets and ranks with Joe Klecko as one of the most decorated defensive players in the history of the franchise. It was a complicated relationship, with two holdouts and the little dance both sides did before the deal with the Buccaneers was done, but the higher points were what Revis concentrated on in his farewell.
“I been sitting around for the last hour trying to figure out what to say to the Jet Nation & I came up with this. The six years I played for the New York Jets were unbelievable. I put my body on the line everyday & did everything could to help the team win. I experienced a lot & & learned a lot. The memories I had in New York I will keep dearly to my heart. I want to thank all the jets fans for making me feel welcome,” Revis wrote on Sunday evening.
The ending was ugly, but that tends to be the case in the NFL and the constant contract issues made this divorce seem more inevitable than most even before Revis tore his ACL during a sinking Jets season. Both sides were well prepared to move on without the other, although it might take the Jets a bit longer to find their way back to a winning record.