On Monday the New York Jets finalized a new deal with their All-Pro cornerback Darrelle Revis ending his 35-day holdout. Here are some quotes from the Revis press conference courtesy of the New York Jets.
Opening Statement…
“I just want to thank my family, Mr. (Woody) Johnson, Mr. (Mike) Tannenbaum, Rex (Ryan) and everybody for supporting me. (I’m) sorry to the fans. This was a long process. It was rough on me. I’m a football player and I love to play the game. I’m happy it’s over with so I can go play football now.”
On if he ever thought a deal wouldn’t get done…
“I really don’t know. I had a million thoughts in my head. (I was) hoping it would get done so I could play football, but when you’re in a process like this it’s very tough. You just have to stick by the close people, your family and friends and just weigh it out the best that you can.”
On the influence Mr. Johnson and Coach Ryan had by coming down to Florida…
“It meant a lot to me. It showed the passion they have for them to come down to Florida and just chat with me (to) see if we could come to a common ground and both sides could see the right thing. I think it was good. I got to know Woody a little more. That was really the first time I sat in a conference room with him and really got to know him. It was a good deal. Me and Rex, we go way back. There’s the love there with me and Rex. I was happy to see him. It was good for them to come down. I haven’t seen (any) of my teammates, except (on) Hard Knocks. I haven’t seen them, so it was good to see those guys.”
On what Coach Ryan said to him…
“He was smiling like he took a trip to Disney World. I was smiling back because this is like a home to me, here with the New York Jets. It was just good to see him and work something out when we were down there to try to get me back up here.”
On his reaction to Coach Ryan being in the negotiations…
“The crazy thing about negotiations is that’s the first time I’ve been in a negotiating room like that. You don’t want to be in one of those. Both sides (are) scratching and fighting. They’re just trying to do the right thing. Guys are looking out for the Jets organization and my representatives are looking out for me. It was a little bit rough. I’ve never seen Rex like that. I was just sitting back and observing the whole thing. It was crazy, but it was a good deal.”
On if his patience was tested during this five week period…
“I just tried to relax and tried to step away. This process, I don’t wish it upon (any) NFL player to go through it. It was something in my life I had to go through. I never thought it was going to turn out to be like this. It (got) a little bit crazy, but it’s something I had to go through.”
On if this experience changed him…
“This experience humbled me very much just because I love to play football. At one point, something was taken away from me that I love to do. I never had (anything) taken away from me that I love to do. This was a point in my life where it was serious. I didn’t know my future. I didn’t know where I was going to end up. I didn’t know anything until I heard from my representatives. I’m just happy it’s all over with now.”
On if he can put everything that’s happened behind him…
“Yes. I know it’s business. Even when you hear those things, you try to look at it in a brighter picture. That’s what I tried to do because I know that negotiations are crazy. Like I said, my representatives are fighting for me and the Jets are fighting for their organization.”
On what the most meaningful thing Coach Ryan told him…
“That he wants to see me up here with the team. I told him I wanted to be up here. It was hurting me so bad not to be here because I didn’t know how my teammates were going to accept me because I wasn’t here in training camp. I’ve been on the news every other day and I’m sure they were tired of hearing my name.”
On if Coach Ryan talked about the special opportunity he could have with this team…
“No, he didn’t really get into that. I already knew what the opportunity is here. Like I told you guys before, I want to be a Jet. I want to be here. I don’t want to go to any other team.”
On when he walked out on to the field today…
“I had butterflies because, like I said before, I didn’t know how my teammates were going to accept me because I haven’t been here for a month. I had butterflies, but after they started chanting my name a little bit, it was a good feeling. It was good to see the guys and I just wanted to be around them because I haven’t been here for a while, so it was a good feeling.”
On if there was a point where he felt he would sit out the entire season…
“It crosses your mind, but you don’t know what’s going to happen. The one thing I tried to do was just to keep working out and stay in shape, so whenever I got that call, I was going to be ready to go and I’d be ready to play this season.”
On where he worked out during his holdout…
“Well, you guys know I go to Phoenix, Arizona. Then, I went to Florida. Then, I went to my hometown, where Rich (Cimini) met my grandma. (Laughing) Then, once I heard he was in town, I had to get out of there like Carmen Sandiego. I was just moving around to places and working out. I had a duffel bag and everywhere I went, I had my workout clothes, and I was just trying to stay in shape until I got the call.”
On if he think he is in football shape…
“I think I’ll be able to play in Monday night’s game. I’m in shape, but like you said, football shape, that’s totally different. I haven’t had pads on. I haven’t had contact, so it’s something that I have to get back into and take it slow in the process.”
On if he’ll go to Coach Ryan during the game if he needs to sit out any plays…
“That’s going to be hard for me to do, but they already told me if I feel like something’s wrong, then call on them and they’ll take me out for a couple of series.”
On if he was optimistic when Coach Ryan and Mr. Johnson left him in Florida…
“I think that was a breakthrough, I really do. I thought it was a breakthrough by them coming down, like I said, because I haven’t seen them. It was talks with my agents and Tannenbaum most of the time. I thought when they both came down, it was a big step for this whole situation to move forward.”
On if he was ever close to accepting a longer deal…
“There’s been a lot of proposals that have been sent over. At this point, we just came to a middle (ground) and we found what was best for both parties. That’s why I think they came down to Florida for the meeting, just to get something done, so I could get on the field.”
On how much footage he has watched of Anquan Boldin…
“A lot. I got my game film before I left here. You guys know me, I’m always trying to be the best and I’m always trying to study and do what I have to do. I always prepare myself. Like I said, I’ve been working out (and) I’ve been doing what I needed to do. (I was) just waiting for that call, so I could be ready and go out there and compete.”
On how good the defense will be with him back in it…
“They’re good without me. I think I’m just another piece to the puzzle that’s just trying to help this team get to the Super Bowl.”
On why he came off his demand to be the highest-paid cornerback…
“Nnamdi (Asomugha) is the highest-paid at his position. People say I’m the best player, and I think, at that point, I wanted to be paid as the best, and I didn’t think there was anything wrong with that.”
On if he ever regretted holding out after watching D’Brickashaw Ferguson and Nick Mangold get extensions…
“No, that was their situations, and that’s how they won their battles. They had their deals done, and I was happy for those guys. I texted those guys and congratulated them, but I knew I had to handle my situation in a different way.”
On when he was most pessimistic during the holdout…
“All 36 (days). I wasn’t happy, but I know there is two different sides, the business side and the football side. This is something I’m learning as well, the business side of it, how good it can be and how nasty it can get. I’m happy to have gone through this process, and it’s helped me, and now I’m moving forward.”
On the most passionate thing Coach Ryan said to him…
“I think whatever Rex says, it will get you a little bit hyper. He’s a passionate guy, always talking positive (and) always talking about the team, as well. This is just something where we met (and) I kind of knew how him and me were going to kick it off. Like I said earlier, when I met Woody down there, it was good, because I never sat down with Woody on a one-on-one basis and talked to him. I got to know Woody a little bit better, but Rex and me, we kicked it off well and we are on the same page.”
On what Coach Ryan said to him in their meeting…
“We need to get you up here. We need you to play. We need you to win a Super Bowl.” I mean, it was just simple talk, and it’s the same things we’ve been talking about since the season was over, even while we were in season last year.”
On if it’s hard to say no to Coach Ryan…
“Yeah, I’ll say so.”