The blockbuster trade is done, but not the residual feelings.
Star cornerback Darrelle Revis was traded by the New York Jets to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers over the weekend for a first-round pick this year and a conditional third-round pick in 2014. Revis held his introductory news conference with the media in Tampa, but he still had some scathing comments for the Jets.
Revis claims his former team lied about trade talks and pointed the finger at Jets general manager John Idzik. Here is the transcript of Revis' comments Monday from the New York Post:
"I definitely feel like I haven’t gotten the truth (from the Jets). Anyone can sit there and tell you to your face, ‘Yeah, you’re going to be a Jet.’ But what’s the truth out of it? What is really the truth?’ It was more from Idzik. He told me I was going to be a Jet. He said it then when we first talked and he said it last week, too. I know it’s a lie. Not on my part, on their part.”
“They give you the corporate answer instead of the truth. Just tell the truth, because people want to know what’s going on. I want to know what’s going on with my career, whether you’re going to trade me or you’re not. Whatever you’re doing, just let me know. I just don’t get that part of not telling me what you’re going to do with me when I come to you and ask questions and say, ‘Hey, what’s going on?'"
“It was Wednesday. We had the day off for the players (during offseason conditioning), but I came in to do my rehab, so there weren’t a lot of cats in the building. (Idzik) just asked, ‘Do I want to be a Jet?’ And I asked him, ‘Why would you ask me that question?’ He gave me some other corporate answer about something else.”
Revis obviously harbors some ill will with the way things were handled. The Jets certainly were not upfront with the media. They denied trade talks even when various reports stated otherwise. That happens in the NFL. However, the Jets could have been more up front with their former best player.
Expect a very motivated Revis to do all he can to get healthy and play well in Week 1 when the Jets host Tampa Bay at MetLife Stadium.