Revis Island, explained: How Darrelle Revis' nickname started, got its own Urban Dictionary definition | Sporting News (2024)

It's only August, but 2023 is already one of the best years in recent Jets history. The arrival of Aaron Rodgers has injected life into the long-suffering franchise and has New York fans anticipating a return to the playoffs for the first time since 2010.

On Saturday, the year will get even better for two generations of Jets fans when Darrelle Revis and Joe Klecko enter the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Klecko had to wait 35 years to receive his knock on the door, while Revis got his call to Canton in his first year of eligibility.

It's no surprise Revis coasted into the Hall of Fame. He developed a reputation as one of the most feared defensive backs of his generation, to the point he acquired a nickname that still is used widely to this day.

As Revis gets enshrined in Canton, here's what you need to know about his "Revis Island" moniker, and how it became synonymous with the Jets great:

MORE: Sauce Gardner, Darrelle Revis get into Twitter beef with Asante Samuel

Revis Island definition

There might be no better definition for Revis Island than from Urban Dictionary:

A place where NFL wide receivers frequently get lost. Ruled by Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis, once you enter Revis Island, you're not coming back.

Revis was so dominant at his peak that any receiver caught "on an island" with him — i.e., in man-to-man coverage — was in for a long day. He shut down some of the NFL's most dynamic pass-catchers one-on-one, anchoring a Jets defense that was a nightmare for opponents during the first two years of the Rex Ryan era.

Revis Island wasn't only the product of cornerback's dominant play, however. The way Ryan used him was a game-changer, putting him in man-to-man coverage against the opposing team's No. 1 receiver without any help — on an "island," one might say.

That island became deadly for big-name receivers, particularly in 2009, and the nickname quickly caught on.

Who coined Revis Island?

There isn't any moment or individual that "Revis Island" can be definitively traced back to, but one unassuming comment by Revis might have contributed to the nickname's popularity.

"I recall a media session, and I kind of said, 'I'm on an island. I feel like I'm alone out there,'" Revis told ESPN, explaining that reporters started running with the term. "Then it just stuck. It ended up turning into a household name," he said.

Revis trademarked the nickname in 2013, early in his first — and only — season with the Buccaneers.

MORE: Sean Payton expresses regret after taking shot at Nathaniel Hackett

Darrelle Revis career stats

It's tough to quantify a cornerback's impact with raw numbers, particularly before some of today's advanced stats emerged. But it's tough to argue with Revis' 29 career interceptions and 139 pass deflections, the latter of which rank top 20 all-time.

Revis was a four-time All-Pro and seven-time Pro-Bowler, putting together one of the most dominant three-year stretches by any defensive back from 2009-11.

Darrelle Revis 2009 season

Revis' 2009 season is widely considered one of the best defensive seasons that didn't result in a Defensive Player of the Year award.

He posted six interceptions and a league-leading 31 pass deflections, earning First-Team All-Pro honors and finishing second in Defensive Player of the Year voting behind Green Bay's Charles Woodson.

Revis held some of the league's most dominant receivers to shockingly unimpressive performances throughout 2009. He limited Randy Moss, for example, to just 24 receiving yards on four catches in one matchup. He held Chad Johnson without a catch on four targets in Week 17.

MORE: Revisiting the Jets' classic 2010 Hard Knocks season

Here's a look at some of the totals the league's star receivers posted against Revis in 2009.

In coverage, Revis was nearly untouchable. Opposing quarterbacks had a 37.8 completion rate when targeting a receiver covered by Revis, and he allowed just 4 yards per target.

Only three receivers scored while covered by Revis in 2009, while Louis Murphy (58 yards) and Ted Ginn Jr. (57 yards) were the only receivers to rack up more than 50 yards against Revis in a game.

Revis had more interceptions while covering Steve Smith than Smith had catches, which underlines how outstanding his season was.

When did Darrelle Revis leave the Jets?

Revis held out for a new contract in 2010, but he didn't force his way out of New York before the franchise traded him in 2013.

With new general manager John Idzik taking the reins and the Jets facing salary cap constraints after a disappointing 6-10 season, the organization decided to move on from Revis before the draft in order to accelerate a rebuild. Revis was coming off a torn ACL suffered early in the 2012 season.

The Jets traded Revis to the Buccaneers for the 13th overall pick four days before the 2013 draft, plus a conditional pick in 2014. The 2013 first-rounder would become Sheldon Richardson, the 2013 Rookie of the Year on defense in 2013.

That wasn't Revis' last stand with the Jets, though. After winning a Super Bowl with the Patriots in 2014, he returned to New York in free agency in 2015 and helped New York win 10 games in his first season back.

Revis started to show his age in 2016 and was released shortly after the season, just two years into a five-year contract. But he exited on good terms with the team and posted a thoughtful message on social media thanking the franchise.

MORE: Jets vs. Browns betting odds, predictions, picks for Hall of Fame Game

Darrelle Revis teams

Revis wore four different uniforms in his 11-year career, but eight of those years were spent with the Jets.

Revis was released after one year in Tampa, a tumultuous season for the Buccaneers that ended with a total regime change, and the Patriots were priced out after he helped them win a Super Bowl in 2014.

After his 2017 release from the Jets, it wasn't until November that Revis was able to latch on with the Chiefs. He appeared in five games, starting two, and saw the field in Kansas City's surprise playoff loss to the Titans in what would be the final game of his career.

Revis was on the field for the Chiefs when Patrick Mahomes made his first NFL start in Week 17 of that season. Here's complete timeline of Revis' NFL career: