The Jets vs. Darrelle Revis was an ugly, long fight in the summer of 2010. The potential rematch could be even worse.
Monday night, Revis would not rule out another holdout this summer despite having two years left on his current contract. That made the possibility of another fight between the Jets and their star cornerback, something that has been hinted at for two years, look like an inevitability.
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Ever since Revis ended his 35-day holdout in September 2010 by signing a four-year, $46 million deal, there has been a thought that Revis would not play out the contract.
Many people viewed the contract as a Band-Aid, a short-term solution that would get the two sides through a few years before they were back at the negotiating table trying to hammer out a long-term deal.
It appears Revis believes the time has come, but the Jets do not. Neither Revis’ agents nor Jets officials would be interviewed for this story, but the writing is on the wall.
The contract paid Revis $32.5 million over the past two years, making him the highest paid defensive player over that time. But he is scheduled to earn just $7.5 this season and $6 million in 2013 — a low sum for the top corner in the game.
Shortly after signing the deal in 2010, Revis appeared on NBC and gave the first indication that another holdout could come this year.
“That’s a great question,” Revis said. “If I continue to play ball like I usually do, we’ll probably be back at that same position we were this year.”
On Monday, Revis was asked at a charity event if he would hold out again this year.
“I just don’t know,” Revis said. “I’m not saying I am going to hold out. I’m not saying I’m not going to hold out. I just don’t know. Right now my focus is being on the team.”
Revis might not find as much sympathy from the public this time around if he does hold out. In 2010 he was scheduled to make just $1 million and he had already outperformed his rookie contract. This is also the second time in two years, and the third time in his career, that the 27-year-old (in July) would be holding out.
This time, fans might not feel as badly for him after he made so much in the first two years of the deal. But Revis likely would argue that he signed this contract with the idea that it would be reopened in 2012.
He also looks around the NFL and sees huge contracts getting handed out. This winter, Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson received $60 million guaranteed and the Bills gave defensive end Mario Williams $50 million guaranteed.
The Jets will argue that Revis’ annual average value over the four-year contract is $11.5 million and makes him the highest paid defensive back in the NFL. He earned a whopping $25 million last season.
The Jets likely want to wait until next year to open up Revis’ deal again when he has just one year left on the contract. They can point to the Lions with Johnson and the Cardinals with Larry Fitzgerald as examples of players who had to wait until they had one year left on their short-term deals before landing the mammoth payday.
If Revis does hold out, it will trigger three more years at $3 million per season on his contract. No one expects that to deter Revis, though.
* According to an ESPN.com report, the Jets could lose vice president of college scouting Joey Clinkscales shortly after this week’s draft. The Raiders have expressed interest in Clinkscales, and he may leave the Jets to take a similar position with Oakland, the report said. Clinkscales and Raiders GM Reggie McKenzie are longtime friends, who played together at the University of Tennessee.
“I’m focused on the 2012 draft,” Clinkscales told The Post. “That’s the priority.”
* The Jets have informed quarterback Tim Tebow that he will be their punt protector on special teams, according to ESPN. The move would allow the Jets to have the increased threat of a fake punt with Tebow able to receive a direct snap and either run or throw.
— Additional reporting by Steve Serby
brian.costello@nypost.com
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