With New York Jets defensive legend announcing his retirement on Wednesday, ESNY looks back on his New York finest moments.
Darrelle Revis was a staple on Rex Ryan’s dominant defenses. The New York Jets had the luxury of having a lockdown corner capable of shutting down any team’s top receiving threat. The cornerback will go down as one of the best Jets of all time and these moments are exactly why.
10) 2/8/09: Look, Ma, One Hand
Hawaii added an extra island for the 2009 Pro Bowl, as Revis brought a bit of his signature flair to the doldrums the exhibition game. He gave Jets fans the tiniest bit of local bragging rights to go into the offseason.
With the NFC squad seeking to swipe the lead back, Eli Manning, long-time signal-caller of the New York’s blue squad, found his would-be go-ahead score to Anquan Boldin intercepted with one hand by Revis. The 2009 edition was the first of seven invites, trailing only Winston Hill for the most in Jets history.
9) 9/28/08: Raising Arizona
That Honolulu highlight wasn’t the first Cardinals connection that Revis would break up.
The Jets may have been clad in their unrecognizable New York Titans throwbacks for an early-season showdown with Arizona at home, but he kept up the same tenacity Jets fans grew to love. Facing off against a high-octane offense that’d go on to win the NFC, Revis had to deal with both Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald (the latter pictured above). In a game that featured 91 points and 841 yards of offense, Revis made sure a defensive gem stood out. He intercepted Kurt Warner twice, returning the first one 32 yards for his first NFL touchdown, en route to the Jets’ 56-35 victory.
NEXT: Revis Moments No. 8 & 7
8) 1/9/10: Ocho Stinko
Few could successfully silence Chad Johnson off the field, much less silence him on it. Revis accomplished both in his first postseason experience.
Revis helped send Giants Stadium out on a winning note, taking part in the Jets’ 37-0 victory over the AFC North champion Bengals (their second shutout victory of the season) that clinched an improbable playoff berth.
Johnson, then known as Chad Ochocinco, was used somewhat sparingly in the regular season finale (the Bengals’ playoff seed was secure). He had no receptions when he did partake. He was set to fully partake in the instant rematch six nights later, this one with much higher stakes at Paul Brown Stadium.
On Wild Card Weekend, Revis limited Ochocinco to only 28 yards on a pair of receptions, and also picked up his first postseason pick, one that served as the turning point in a 24-14 Jets victory.
7) 1/1/17: Kill Bills
Revis’ last stand with the Jets was a meaningless Week 17 showdown against the Buffalo Bills, but he gave the freezing green faithful one more memory.
With time dwindling down in another lost season, Revis intercepted a Cardale Jones pass and returned it 51 yards to set up a Nick Folk field goal. Surprisingly, it was his first interception of the season.
What became the last interception of Revis’ Jets career was slightly overshadowed by one of the goofiest touchdowns in NFL history, but it still served as a fitting end to the New York tenure of a name sure to be immortalized in MetLife Stadium’s green Ring of Honor.
NEXT: Revis Moments No. 5 & 5
6) 9/7/08: Miami Nice
2008 will forever go down as an awkward year on the Jets timeline. Of course, few years don’t, but this one was especially befuddling.
Perhaps best known as the “Brett Favre season”, the year got off to one of the best starts possible, a 20-14 road win over the Miami Dolphins. The opening victory was punctuated with Revis intercepting the potential game-winning touchdown pass in the end zone, the victim being none other than former Jets signal-caller Chad Pennington. The former Jet and the Dolphins had the last laugh 16 weeks later, topping the Jets at the Meadowlands for the division title. But the Week 1 thriller officially introduced Revis to mainstream NFL audiences.
5) 10/28/07: The Island's Foundation
Revis’ Jets turnover log was bookended with interceptions against the hapless Buffalo Bills. His first career takeaway was an interception of Trent Edwards, one of the few Jet highlights in a 13-3 loss in East Rutherford.
Buffalo would become the team Revis would terrorize the most in his NFL career, his 47 tackles were the most against any opponent, as were his six interceptions, though that category was tied with Miami.
NEXT: Revis Moments No. 4 & 3
4) 9/21/15: Back in the New York Groove
Though hurt by his betrayal to the New England Patriots, Jets fans were pleased to see Revis return in 2015. Indianapolis Colts fans, on the other hand, were probably quite sick of him by the time their Monday night showdown in September ended.
En route to earning a Super Bowl ring with the hated Patriots, Revis had an interception in the infamous AFC Championship blowout over the Colts, a 45-7 snoozer that became far more famous for originating the Deflategate saga. Indianapolis fans got a whole lot more Revis in prime time at Lucas Oil Stadium, which was closer, but almost never in doubt thanks to the cornerback’s antics.
He took part in three Jets takeaways, two of which occurred in New York territory, igniting a 20-7 victory. After recovering two fumbles, including one at the cusp of the goal line, Revis intercepted another Andrew Luck pass, signaling his official New York return.
3) 10/17/11: 100 Grand
Mired in a three-game losing streak, the Jets’ season might’ve hinged on a Monday night showdown with Miami. In the first quarter, the Dolphins were up 3-0, and were driving for a touchdown. Six points were scored … but the Dolphins were not the recipients.
Matt Moore’s throw, intended for future-Jet Brandon Marshall, was taken away by Revis, who navigated through traffic to take back the interception a whopping 100 yards for the score, giving the Jets a lead they would not relinquish. He would add one more to seal the deal in the fourth quarter, capping off a 24-6 win.
The return tied for the longest in Jets history, matching a 1996 record set by Aaron Glenn.
NEXT: Revis Moments No. 2 & 1
2) 9/11/11: Dallas Denied
The 2011 season began on a somber note, as the league commemorated the 10th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 tragedies. The opening Sunday appropriately concluded near Ground Zero, where the Jets began their season against America’s Team, the Dallas Cowboys.
In a back and forth thriller, Revis set the Jets up for victory, stifling Dallas’ game-winning drive before it began. With under a minute to go, the Cowboys began their march to glory at their own 41-yard line, but Revis intercepted a Tony Romo pass intended for Dez Bryant, getting it just within range for the former Cowboy kicker Folk to nail a 50-yard field goal, the finishing touch of a 27-24 victory.
1) 1/17/10: Discharged
The aforementioned 2009 Jets snuck into the playoffs at 9-7, yet then-head coach Rex Ryan famously decreed his team should’ve been labeled the favorites in the NFL’s dozen-team tournament. Revis was more than happy to back up the words of one of his earliest believers.
A week after dispatching the Bengals, the road for Revis didn’t get easier, as next in the line were the 13-3 San Diego Chargers in the divisional round, armed to the teeth with offensive firepower. Primarily matched with Vincent Jackson, Revis led an impenetrable collaborative effort, as the Jets kept the Chargers in check.
Vincent Jackson did some damage, but only when Revis was handling other responsibilities. Of Rivers’ 27 completions on the afternoon, none of them were made to a receiver covered by Revis, who deflected two passes and nabbed another game-changing interception.
With the Chargers up 7-3 and driving in Jets territory in the latter stages of the third quarter, Revis pulled off an athletic turnover, diving for a deflected ball off of Jackson’s foot as the pair fell. The Jets would add two touchdowns in the fourth quarter, and San Diego never truly threatened after that, earning only a garbage time touchdown in a 17-14 Jets win.