Former Pitt and Aliquippa High School star cornerback Darrelle Revis earned a spot as one of Pro Football Hall of Fame Finalists in the Class of 2023 on Wednesday.
Revis starred at Aliquippa (2000-03), winning two WPIAL Class 2A Titles in 2000 and 2003. He also helped Aliquippa win the PIAA Class 2A Title in 2003, with a 32-27 win over Northern Lehigh in the final. Revis demonstrated his all-time talent in that game, scoring five touchdowns from a variety of ways, including a punt return, returning a Northern Lehigh blocked field goal and three rushing touchdowns.
Revis then played for Pitt the next three seasons from 2004-06. He started playing cornerback more regularly, while also playing as a punt returner.
He continued to play at a high level making 80 tackles, 66 solo, five tackles for loss, eight interceptions and returning two for touchdowns. He also averaged just over 10 yards per punt return and scored two more touchdowns over his Pitt career.
As a Panther, Revis earned First-Team All-American Freshman honors in 2004, placed on the First-Team All-Big East in 2005-06 and made it as a semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award, honoring the best defensive back in the country, in 2006.
The New York Jets selected Revis with the 14th overall pick in the 2007 NFL Draft. He played for the Jets for the next six seasons (2007-12), earning a spot on the PFWA All-Rookie Team, making three consecutive First-Team All-Pro from 2009-11 and then four consecutive Pro Bowls from 2008-11. His 31 passes defended in 2009 is still an NFL record for most in a season.
Revis then played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2013, making a Pro Bowl, and then the New England Patriots in 2014. With the Patriots, Revis made the Pro Bowl and earned his final spot on the First-Team All-Pro, while also winning a Super Bowl.
He returned to the Jets for two more seasons, making one last Pro Bowl in 2015, before retiring after spending one season with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2017. The Jets placed him into their Ring of Honor in November 2020.Â
Revis made 496 tackles, 411 solo, nine tackles for loss, 29 interceptions, three returned for touchdowns, 139 pass breakups, six forced fumbles and recovered 12.
If Revis makes it into the Hall of Fame, he would be  the 10th Pitt player to make the Hall of Fame joining Jimbo Covert, Mike Ditka, Chris Doleman, Tony Dorsett, Russ Grimm, Rickey Jackson, Dan Marino, Curtis Martin and Joe Schmidt.
He would also be the 13th WPIAL Player to make the Hall of Fame, which includes George Blanda (Youngwood High School), Joe Montana (Ringgold), Bill George (Waynesburg), Joe Namath (Beaver Falls), Jason Taylor (Woodland Hills) Dorsett (Hopewell), Marino (Pittsburgh Central Catholic), Covert (Freedom), Schmidt (Brentwood) and Grimm (Southmoreland).
Covert is the last Pitt player or WPIAL player to earn a spot in the Hall of Fame as a part of the Class of 2020.Â
Johnny Unitas played for the now defunct St. Justin’s in the old Pittsburgh Catholic League, while Martin played for Allderdice in the City League.
Revis would also join Ditka and Ty Law, who played his college ball at Michigan, as the third Aliquippa player to make the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
He will find out if he is one of five of the 15 to make the 2023 Pro Football Hall of Fame Class on Saturday, February 4, the day before the Super Bowl.
