Darrelle Revis on Mark Sanchez: 'We didn't have a quarterback'

After seasons in Tampa Bay and New England, Darrelle Revis is back with the New York Jets and is on the cover of this week’s Sports Illustrated.

In an interview that covered a variety of topics, Revis fired a shot at Mark Sanchez when he spoke about the Jets’ back-to-back AFC championship game losses in the 2009 and 2010 seasons.

"We didn't have a quarterback," Revis said, in reference to Sanchez.

Ouch.

Here’s Revis’ quote in the SI piece, via NJ.com:

At one point during his tour of New York, Revis mentions how this year's Jets will have to win the same way those past New York teams did, with defense and an unproven quarterback, now Geno Smith. "We almost made it, and we didn't have a quarterback," he says of those '09 and '10 seasons. And then, perhaps realizing how that sounds—accurate­ but harsh—he adds, "Mark [Sanchez] was solid. He wasn't elite."

Even though Sanchez never wowed anyone with his play in New York, it’s still an impressive feat to be the starting quarterback in consecutive AFC title games in his first two seasons as a professional. I guess that’s part of Revis’ point. With better quarterback play, who knows what would have become of those Jets teams?

Things went downhill for Sanchez in New York, too, and he is now the backup for the Philadelphia Eagles.

In addition to those AFC title appearances, Revis touched on the knee injury that ended his 2012 season and a variety other topics in the SI piece – which featured a cover that mimicked the classic Joe Namath cover from 1965.

It turns out his ACL tear was much worse than the public originally knew and caused Revis to consider retirement.

Revis also voiced frustrations with the setup of the NFL marketplace.

From the New York Daily News:

Revis addresses many topics in the wide-ranging magazine piece, prominent among them his lamenting of NFL economics. The corner has navigated the muddy NFL contract-negotiating waters better than anyone, maximizing his value by betting on himself. The deal that brought him back to the Jets, a five-year, $70 million pact, guarantees him $39 million. Still, Revis is frustrated by the system the players agreed to in the collective bargaining agreement in which many players can be cut without cost after poor seasons or not be rewarded enough for outperforming their deals.

“We’re fighting against 32 billionaires,” Revis says in the SI story. “A lot of guys are brainwashed, feeding into the system. It’s genius how the NFL did it.”

For as frustrated as Revis may be, the “system” hasn’t been unkind to him. His career earnings to this point in his career? $85 million.

It’ll all be OK, Darrelle.