Darrelle Revis played just one season in New England. (Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
New York Daily News Jets columnist Manish Mehta joined the Dennis & Callahan show Thursday morning to talk about Darrelle Revis’ comments to him regarding the Patriots and Tom Brady. To hear the interview, go to the Dennis & Callahan audio on demand page.
Revis spent one year with the Patriots, winning a Super Bowl title, but then departed for the Jets via free agency after the Patriots didn’t pick up his $20 million option. Mehta was asked if Revis never felt like a Patriot, and he said that would be “fair to say.”
“That’s probably fair to say,” said Mehta. “He hasn’t came out and told me that specifically, but judging by his reaction to coming back to New York and feeling comfortable in this area. It is a place he had played for obviously at the outset of his career and an area he likes a lot and an organization — even though it is a different coaching staff now.
“I think that is fair to say, although he hasn’t came out specially and told me he never felt like a Patriot because I think when he was with [Bill] Belichick he learned a lot from Belichick, he bought in and he obviously played a great deal in their Super Bowl title.”
Mehta said Revis wasn’t reluctant to say what he did about the Patriots on Wednesday, as he’s the type of player to speak his mind when he wants.
“No. I wouldn’t say that,” Mehta said. “He also has a history with the Patriots prior to playing for the Patriots, that a lot of these other guys who have played for Belichick didn’t have, so he does have a unique perspective. The thing I know about Darrelle Revis, knowing him since he came into the league years ago is that he does speak his mind. He took a brief rest there up in Foxboro, but his personality is such that if he believes in something he’s going to say it and he’s obviously a caliber of player that carries a lot of clout. He doesn’t really care what you think, if that’s what he believes he’s going to share it with you.”
Mehta did add Revis still has great deal of respect for Brady and feels like he will be a Hall of Famer.
“I will say that Revis was very clear that he’s always had a lot of professional respect for Tom Brady and he does think he’s going to be a Hall of Famer, without a doubt and he does think he’s one of the greatest quarterbacks,” said Mehta. “The way he described it was, ‘if not the best’ quarterback to ever play, so in terms of how any potential wrongdoing with these footballs affects Brady’s legacy, I think Revis believes that Tom Brady is an all-time great regardless of what happened. He just doesn’t have the fact, he doesn’t know what happened. He was unaware of it.”
