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The New York Jets need to be very careful with this whole Darrelle Revis situation. They can’t let themselves be used as an ATM for public relations reasons . . .
Adam Schefter announced on Sunday, “the Jets are expected to pursue Revis to see if they can bring him back to New York, sources told ESPN. The Jets have already been preparing how to best make their run at Revis.”
This story has to be somewhat troubling to the league office if it’s true.
Think about it. Schefter already announced the league is investing the Jets for tampering with Revis due to Woody Johnson saying on December 29, “Darrelle is a great player. I’d love for Darrelle to come back.”
So if you are already being investigated for tampering, why would you tell anybody, in the press, in the agent world, whatever, that you, “been preparing how to best make their run at Revis?”
That isn’t an astute approach.
It’s clear where this likely came from – Revis’ agents Neil Schwartz and/or Jonathan Feinsod.
The story didn’t make Revis look great, due to the timing. Why would you want somebody from your camp leaking to the press what your future plans might be, on the morning of the biggest game of your life? Every ounce of emotion and energy in the Revis’ camp on Sunday should have been on what was going on in Glendale.
After the game, and in the days, weeks and months that followed, you can knock yourself leaking rumors about Revis’ future. But floating stuff on the morning of the game, makes it seem like Revis is just about the all-mighty dollar, and if he happens to win a championship on the way, so be it.
Hey, maybe that is okay with a lot people. The NFL is business – the commissioner and the owners look to make as much money as possible, so what is wrong with a player doing that?
And Schwartz and Feinsod aren’t about relationships with teams. They are about getting as much money as possible for their clients.
If they are the source, and I think they are, they clearly wanted to get a head start on firing up the pressure on the Jets to sign Revis to a megabucks deal, or look bad for not doing so, once again.
The day of the Super Bowl is obviously a day that he entire football world has a laser beam focus on the sport.
So leaking a Revis story to Schefter, and having him release it on Super Bowl Sunday, might be good for business.
Get the ball rolling as soon as possible.
But the Jets need to be careful on the Revis’ front.
He’s going to be 30 in June.
Cornerbacks can’t hit a wall around this time, lose speed, which is so important at that spot.
Remember, at the age of 30, Asomugha signed a five-year, $60 million deal with Philadelphia, and they didn’t get a lot of bang for their buck. He clearly wasn’t the same player he was in Oakland, and was cut after two seasons with the Eagles.
Of course, every player is different, but the bottom line is the Jets shouldn’t sign Revis for PR reasons, or to make up for letting him go in the past.
They should sign him if they think he’s still at the top of his game, and can help them be a better team.
Don’t do it to appease the media and public.
Do it strictly if it’s good football business.
February 2, 2014
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