Talk about irony. Talk about something so delicious.
The Chiefs signed Darrelle Revis last week to upgrade the Chiefs secondary, and as fate would have it, he will play his first game as a Kansas City Chief against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium of all places on Sunday afternoon. As Jets fans remember, he had two stints as a Jet. His first stint was memorable, and his second stint was forgettable.
Revis claims he has no extra motivation. Whatever. He doesn’t have anything to prove to the Jets, but he has an incentive to do well on Sunday. He has to show he still has it as a NFL cornerback. When we last saw him, any wide receiver would torch the ex-Jets cornerback. It was sad to see then-Bills wide receiver Sammy Watkins do whatever he want at Revis Island. What’s worse the league’s once best cornerback could not tackle anymore.
Not only it tainted his second run with the Jets, but it took forever for him to get a job. Quite frankly, it was surprising the Chiefs called for his service, especially this late in the season. Still, desperate times call for desperate measures. The Chiefs are desperate to find anyone that can play cornerback alongside with Marcus Peters. Also, it is a low-risk, high-reward, so the Chiefs have nothing to lose.
In Revis’ mind, he has nothing to lose, either. He accomplished so much in the NFL that he is going to be a bonafide Hall of Famer. His last two years with the Jets will not define him. He does not want to leave on that note, either. Anyone with his credentials would feel the same way.
He is not going to be the same player he was five years ago. This is what happens when a NFL player plays ten years in the league. The wear and tear of the body can make a player look old fast, and for Revis, it was the quickest decline he experienced. This is a player that does a good job of taking care of himself in the offseason, so he had to be surprised how much he lost it right away.
Revis believes he can still be a contributor to a Super Bowl contender. That’s the purpose of his comeback, and he will get that opportunity to show his value and wisdom for a team that can use that type of championship experience in January.
It’s always human nature to want to do well in the first game as a member of a new team. Revis knows he has to show the Chiefs something right away since he does not have time to acclimate with them. Not with the season only being a month to go. This is why this is not just a regular season game for him.
There will be curiosity to how he fares Sunday against the Jets. He did not have the benefit of a training camp. We are going to assume he worked out on his own while he was waiting for a job, but that does not translate to what a training camp can do to keep a football player ready for football shape.
If Revis can be close to decent, consider it a success. For him, it will be a step forward to redeeming himself.
It would be foolish to count the former Jets cornerback out after the last two years. He is one of the smartest players to ever play in that position, so maybe he has new tricks in store that can help him adapt. That’s what makes his comeback interesting.
Revis is going to enjoy every minute of it. It sure beats staying at home. He is going to enjoy every minute of this Sunday and the rest of the season knowing he is fortunate to be playing in the NFL. He knows he can’t take it for granted like he did in his first few years in the league, and the last two years have certainly taught him that.
The future Hall of Famer’s return has drawn indifference from the Jets and their fans. The Jets are trying to get back on track after losing two in a row and five of six, and Jets fans are waiting for the season to be over since they have been unwatchable this season.
Revis is not emotional about playing against the Jets. He is just thankful to be playing.
Still, the competitor in him wants him to do well. He still wants to play beyond this season. The Chiefs may view him as an experiment, but he looks at this as a redemption to show he still has it.
On Sunday, he gets an opportunity that he did not think he would get again.
That’s why this is just not another game for a former Jets cornerback.
