Will Darrelle Revis' nightmare season spell the end of his New York Jets career?
Citing sources close to the 31-year-old cornerback, the New York Daily News reported Thursday that Revis has essentially "tanked" this season because he's no longer passionate about football.
"He's done," a Revis confidant said. "If he had his way, he'd be done right now. He doesn't want to play anymore. He's made a lot of money."
Revis immediately refuted the report, insisting to Ralph Vacchiano of SNY.tv that he still "has a lot of football to play."
"I still love the game. I think that's why I'm still playing the game, just the love for it," Revis added. "It's the competitive nature in me to go out and try to perform to the best of my abilities on Sundays.
"At the same time I understand the position we're in as a team right now. And I'm the target. That comes with the territory."
So where does that leave Revis' future with a Jets organization that can no longer trust him to hold his own against the likes of Patriots rookie Malcolm Mitchell, much less Bengals Pro Bowler A.J. Green?
As NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport outlined on Thursday's edition of Up to the Minute Live, the worse Revis plays, the easier the decision becomes for the Jets.
Revis is guaranteed $6 million next year. The Jets could simply cut their losses, shell out the $6 million and move on. They could also request that Revis accept a pay cut, which is unprecedented for a player who has angled for every last cent throughout his career. From Revis' point of view, he could come back more motivated, reinvent himself as a safety and continue playing in 2017.
"Everyone has to make a decision at the end of the year," Rapoport explained. "But it's pretty clear that the prospect of Revis playing corner for the Jets at this salary is just not gonna happen."
Earlier this week, Revis acknowledged that his future with the Jets is in management's hands, adding, "We'll see how it goes."
It's been jarring to see a perennial All-Pro playing at less than peak shape, his short-burst quickness and recovery speed a distant memory. Quarterbacks have completed 46-of-68 passes for 636 yards, four touchdowns, zero interceptions and a 117.0 passer rating against Revis' coverage this season, per NFL Research.
There's a strong argument to be made that no cornerback ever played the position at a higher level than Revis did from 2009 through 2011.
In the prime of his career, no NFL player was more competitive, more intense or more prepared than Revis. He took it as an insult if his practice opponent was not properly preparing him for each game.
Just imagine how insulting it would be to stick around for another year while opposing quarterbacks treat him as if he has a target on his back.