An Open Letter to Darrelle Revis from a Patriots Fan

For a region that has been so spoiled by their sports teams over the last 15 years, today has to be one of the darkest in recent memory. 48 Hours ago we had one of the best secondaries, if not the best, in the league. Devin McCourty had signed a 5 year extension, and Brandon Browner and Darrelle Revis had team option’s on their contracts.

2 days later however, neither option was exercised, both are gone and Revis has gone to the Jets, as in THE NEW YORK JETS. How did we get here? How do we go on from here? We find closure for starters, and thats what this letter is for.

Getty Images

Getty Images

Darrelle, if this letter ever gets to you, in that awful City [Editor’s Note: Well, not THAT awful] and in that dreadful (hell, laughable) organization, then I have only two things I want you to know. First, thank you. Thank you for an incredible year. Thank you for ending our horrible ten year drought. And thank you for being a Patriot. Secondly, I’m not mad at you and I don’t blame you. From the current reports as of Wednesday morning, the Jet’s gave you 5 million more guaranteed, as the Patriots reportedly wouldn’t go higher than $35 million. I can’t blame you, especially this being the time for you to sign your last big NFL contract. However this goes much deeper than that.

If other Patriots fans and I can be honest, it never felt like Darrelle was a Patriot. I’m not going to give you some team slogan like “The Patriot Way” or any other garbage. This never felt permanent, it felt like an opportunity that both sides were seizing. It felt like Revis needed a place to rebuild his image and win, and the Pats needed someone to put them over the top and win their 4th ring. Well both sides got what they wanted and now parted ways. As Darrelle tweeted last night, he’s going home.

It’s like in high school when the pretty girl gets sick of the jock and dates the nerd for a month and then gets back with the jock. She made the jock jealous, and the nerd got laid by the prom queen, win-win, but were still heartbroken.

And as with any heartbreak there’s a lot of anger in New England today. We’ll point that anger at the man in the hoodie.

Getty Images

Getty Images

There is a way that business is done. I get that, and by and large it has worked. But this is different. This isn’t Wilfork, or Deion Branch, Richard Seymour, Logan Mankins or an over the hill Randy Moss. This is a 30 year old, once in a lifetime player. In 2014 alone he had 18 passes defended, 3 interceptions and 47 total tackles and played every single one of the Patriots’ 19 games. He was a difference maker. They had to get this deal done, and they didn’t. And what’s the back up plan? When Moss left we brought back Branch. When we lost Welker we got Amendola and had Edelman.

There’s always been a plan.

Well there is no one on the market, and unless there is some blockbuster trade being worked on, then we here will be relying on the likes of Trae Waynes and/or P.J. Williams out of the draft.

Again, Thank You, Revis for an unforgettable season.

By Ryan Whitfield

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