NFL Hall of Famer, Pitt Star Darrelle Revis Shuts Down Slight From NFL Peer

Darrelle Revis isn’t being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame until next month, so his schedule doesn’t really pick up until the beginning of August.

But while he’s been thinking about what to say during his Hall of Fame speech on Aug. 5, he’s also had time to clap back against random criticism from one of the cornerbacks he played against during his NFL career.

It all started when Twitter user Dov Kleiman tweeted an aggregate report of the Top 10 cornerbacks in the NFL, as voted upon by players, coaches, executives and scouts, and it listed New York Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner as the No. 2 cornerback in the NFL.

That led to former NFL cornerback Asante Samuel taking a shot at both Gardner and Revis as a random Twitter user compared a rookie Gardner to prime Revis.

“It’s the NY media what did Revis do so special. I’ll wait… It’s documented want great cornerbacks did in the stats,” Samuel wrote on Twitter.

Revis, of course, had to respond.

“I really don’t know much about this guy,” Revis tweeted. “Never was inspired to watch his film but something does jog my memory. I do remember we played Falcons + Rex Ryan made a highlight clip of him being doubled moved on almost every single route.

“I recall Rex saying to receivers in our weekly team meetings. The game plan was if he line up across from you, double move him every time. So in practice our receivers referred to him as the ‘DOUBLE MOVE KING’ I never viewed him more than what was said about him in the scouting report.”

@pick_six22 just landed. Hear we go smh… 🤦🏾‍♂️

I really don’t know much about this guy. never was inspired to watch his film but something does jog my memory. I do remember we played Falcons + Rex Ryan made a highlight clip of him being doubled moved on almost every single…

— Darrelle Revis (@Revis24) July 11, 2023

Samuel was a very good cornerback in his generation, recording 52 career interceptions on the way to four Pro Bowl nods and a first-team All-Pro honor. But he didn’t impact the game the way Revis did.

Revis racked up seven Pro Bowls, four first-team All-Pro honors and was named to the NFL 2010s All-Decade squad. But it was the way Revis brought back the term ‘shutdown corner’ that left a mark on the NFL. Opposing quarterbacks simply didn’t test Revis in coverage.

And as Revis put together one of the best defensive seasons in NFL history in 2009, recording 54 tackles (47 solo), six interceptions (with one returned for a touchdown) and 31 pass breakups on the way to a second-place finish in Defensive Player of the Year voting.

It was the first of four first-team All-Pro honors, climbing from three to five to six picks over his first three seasons in the NFL, and it established ‘Revis Island’ as one of the most dominant cornerbacks in NFL history.

In the 2009 season alone, Revis held Andre Johnson, Randy Moss (twice), Marques Colson, Terrell Owens (twice), Torry Holt, Steve Smith, Reggie Wayne and Chad Ochocinco to sub-35-yard games in coverage.

The Super Bowl XLIX champion was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in February and will be enshrined in Canton, Ohio next month.

So, when Samuel responded to Revis’ initial comeback, Revis was ready.

“Try again mother sucker,” Revis tweeted. “I’m a first ballot Hall of Famer. Scouting on me was a head coach telling his quarterback to be cautious to throw it my way. It just hit different bro. Maybe you should write a letter to the HOF voters to state your case.”

try again mother sucker. 🤣. I’m a 1st Ballot Hall of Famer. scouting report on me was a head coach telling his Quarterback to be cautious to throw my way. It just hit different bro. Maybe you should write a letter to the HOF voters to state your case.

— Darrelle Revis (@Revis24) July 11, 2023

The Jets selected Revis with the 14th pick in the 2007 NFL Draft, and he went on to put together his Hall of Fame professional career.

In 11 NFL seasons with the Jets, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New England Patriots and Kansas City Chiefs, Revis racked up 496 tackles (411 solo), nine tackles for loss, 29 interceptions (three returned for touchdowns), 139 pass breakups, four forced fumbles and 12 recoveries.

His NFL career, following standout showings at Aliquippa High and Pitt in the late 1990s and early 2000s, only showed that he’s one of the greatest athletes to come out of Western Pennsylvania.

Revis, who will be presented by his mother Diana Askew, will be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame — as a first-ballot Hall of Famer — on Aug. 5.