FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Darrelle Revis is going to a Super Bowl — otherwise known as that thing that was only a rumor when he played for the Jets.
On the same day it was revealed the Patriots had filed tampering charges against Woody Johnson for his recent comments about Revis, the former Gang Green star is headed to the Big Game as a member of their biggest rival.
Revis’ next appearance will be in Super Bowl XLIX against the Seahawks after the All-Pro cornerback helped New England embarrass Andrew Luck and the Colts, 45-7, here Sunday night in the AFC Championship Game.
“It’s pretty awesome,” Revis said after his third-quarter interception set up the score that broke the game wide open. “There are rookies that play their first year that go to the Super Bowl, so for me to do it eight years later is very surreal.”
Revis certainly did his part Sunday to earn that first Super Bowl trip, shutting down Reggie Wayne (zero catches in two targets) and picking off Luck to help make it 38-7 and erase any chance of a Seahawks-like second half comeback by Indianapolis.
The Super Bowl appearance also vindicated Revis’ decision to sign with the Patriots in the offseason after his overtures to re-sign with the Jets were reportedly spurned by since-fired general manager John Idzik.
That decision — Revis signed a two-year, $32 million deal that essentially was a one-year, $12 million contract — looked iffy when the Patriots were 2-2 in late September after a 41-14 loss to the Chiefs and Revis was uncharacteristically mediocre.
But Revis rebounded right along with the Patriots, who are 12-2 since that dismal night.
“He’s stepped up all year,” Patriots safety Devin McCourty said of Revis. “When you’ve got that guy on one side, you expect him to play great every week. It’s tough, but he comes in and does it every week.”
The payoff for Revis is an appearance in the Super Bowl, which — aside from being the highest-paid cornerback in the NFL at all times — is the culmination of a dream.
Not only that, but Revis gets to do it with Richard Sherman on the other side and the chance to settle their long-running debate about which one is the best cover corner in football once and for all.
“This is why I signed with the Patriots — to play in these big-time games and the obvious reason, which is the Super Bowl,” Revis said. “Everybody stuck to our team goals, and now we actually play in the Super Bowl.”
Revis paused, almost not believing it himself.
“It’s pretty sweet,” he said.