While the New York Jets may be lacking in Super Bowls and NFL Championships, no one can deny that some of the greatest football players of all time have been a part of Gang Green. Joe Namath was arguably the most famous quarterback named Joe before Montana came on the scene, and Curtis Martin was one of only four running backs to rush for more than 14,000 yards when he retired in 2007 (Adrian Peterson and Frank Gore have since joined this club).
But perhaps no one else in franchise history has been more dominant at their position than Darrelle Revis. Nicknamed ‘Revis Island’ for the way coaches trusted him to cover receivers without any safety help, Revis locked up some of the greatest wide receivers of all time, holding to less than 35 yards in a game the likes of Andre Johnson, Randy Moss (twice), and Terrell Owens (also twice).
It’s no surprise then that Ben Solak of ESPN included Revis on his list of the greatest NFL players for each draft slot. About Revis, who was selected 14th overall in the 2007 NFL Draft, Solak had this to say: “While [Jim] Kelly was certainly more valuable than Revis because of the position he played, I tried not to overweight quarterbacks and just look at the best player picked. Revis was the best player. Close one, though!”
If you ask me, it really shouldn’t have been all that close between these two. Sure, Kelly had a storied career both with the United States Football League (USFL) and the NFL, but he was never anywhere close to being the best at his position at the time he played.
Revis, on the other hand, can lay claim to that title. There’s been some great cornerbacks who have made their marks as legends of the game. Charles “Peanut” Tillman, who forced a ridiculous 44 fumbles in his career, 16 more than the next best cornerback, comes to mind. And who can forget the electric Deion Sanders?
But if I had to pick one cornerback to cover an elite receiver for one play with the Super Bowl on the line, Revis is the name that I'm immediately picking. He remains a true Jets legend and arguably the greatest Jet of all time (though Jets fans may hope that his legacy is soon surpassed by Ahmad Gardner).