The New York Jets have released four-time All-Pro cornerback Darrelle Revis, nine days after his arrest in Pittsburgh, the team announced on Tuesday night.
Jets release former All-Pro cornerback Darrelle Revis 9 days after his arrest
Revis had three years and over $33 million left on his contract before being cut.
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The dynamic cornerback, now 31 years old, will be a free agent heading into the 2017 season. He’ll have trouble attracting suitors after an off-field incident that has left him facing multiple criminal charges. An alleged fight in Pittsburgh’s South Side neighborhood has the former All-Pro charged with with four felonies: two counts of aggravated assault, one count of conspiracy, and one count of robbery.
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Those issues, combined with a lackluster performance in coverage last fall, could wind up leaving the the veteran defensive back unemployed for a long stretch this spring.
Revis was one of the game’s best cornerbacks in his prime. He started his career in New York after being drafted No. 14 overall out of the University of Pittsburgh. He made an immediate impact in his first six years with the franchise, being named to four Pro Bowls, earning three first-team All-Pro nods, and winning AFC Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2009.
His reputation as the league’s top cornerback led to a six-year, $96 million contract with Tampa Bay in 2013, but he only spent one disappointing season with the Buccaneers before being released. He signed with the Patriots soon after and restored his value almost immediately, earning his fourth — and potentially final -- All-Pro selection with New England. His sole year in Foxborough ended with a Super Bowl ring, and he re-joined the Jets in free agency the following season.
Soon after his release, Revis thanked the Jets in a message he posted on Twitter:
Revis’ return to the Big Apple hasn’t been as fruitful as his first stop. Age and a history of knee injuries robbed him of the speed that made him so effective. He only recorded one interception in the 2016 season, and that only came in a meaningless game at the end of the year. He also got burned in coverage in some high-profile situations, leading to some unflattering headlines across NFL media.
He will still count $6 million against the Jets salary cap this season, but had no dead money remaining on his contract afterward.
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