'Revis Island' resonates long after Hall of Famer's retirement - ESPN

It started in 2009 with a coach's unique idea and a player's unique talent. It was the perfect match, so perfect that it launched Darrelle Revis to stardom with the New York Jets, changed the way people talk about the cornerback position and added a new phrase to the NFL lexicon.

Revis Island.

This fictitious place is so celebrated that it has an entry in the Urban Dictionary. Definition: «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.»

The moniker defines his 11-year career — his life, really. To this day, ogling fans squawk, «Revis Island!» when they spot him in public. Over the years, celebrities such as actor Jamie Foxx and rappers Snoop Dogg and Lil Wayne have referred to the «Island» when crossing paths with him at various events.

It's ironic that someone raised in an old steel town like Aliquippa, Pennsylvania is associated with a palm tree, but Revis embraces the tropical island imagery. He slips «Revis Island» into casual conversation as easily as he once stonewalled wide receivers at the line of scrimmage.

Describing his football journey, an unabashed Revis told ESPN: "[Michael] Jordan to Kobe [Bryant] is Prime [Deion Sanders] to 'Revis Island. It's trying to be like somebody you looked up to, and now I will forever share a gold jacket with somebody that inspired me to play the game at a high level."

Revis will be enshrined Saturday in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio — the culmination of a great career that began when he was taken in the first round by the Jets in the 2007 NFL draft. Afterward, he will celebrate with friends and family at a private party in the Canton area.

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