Darrelle Revis announces his retirement

Former Pitt star and longtime NFL cornerback Darrelle Revis announced his retirement from the pro game on Wednesday. His career spanned 11 seasons, including eight with the New York Jets and a brief stint with the New England Patriots that resulted in a Super Bowl ring.

“For the past 11 years, it has truly been an honor to showcase one of my greatest gifts to the world,” Revis said in a statement posted on Twitter. “Today, I am closing a chapter in my life that I once dreamed of as a kid, and I am officially retiring from the National Football League.”

Early in his professional career, Revis developed a reputation as a shutdown corner and maintained his status as an elite defensive back for the better part of a decade, earning seven Pro Bowl invitations and four first-team All-Pro nods during his career. All told, he accounted for 29 interceptions, 140 passes defended, and 411 tackles in 145 career games.

Revis was also well known for his prowess in his financial dealings, as he became the highest paid cornerback in the NFL upon signing with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2013 and again after re-signing with the Jets in 2016. Over the course of his career, the native of Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, brought in an estimated $124.2 million, according to Spotrac.

Prior to his arrival in the NFL, Revis was a standout at Pitt from 2004 to 2006 under head coaches Walt Harris and Dave Wannstedt. Although he was considered a three-star recruit coming out of nearby Aliquippa High School, he exceeded expectations, earning first-team All-Big East nods twice before being selected by the Jets in the first round of the 2007 NFL draft.

Despite experiencing a notable decline toward the end of his career, Revis will still be remembered as one of the greatest to ever play his position, as wiser offensive coordinators and quarterbacks knew to avoid Revis Island at all costs during his heyday.

With his illustrious career now in the books, Revis seems bound for enshrinement in Canton.