The Champ has passed on his title.
Champ Bailey has long been considered the best cornerback in football, but he has admitted that Darrelle Revis has surpassed him.
“I was reluctant to give it to anybody because I thought I was the best,” the Broncos corner said of Revis on 104.3 the Fan in Denver.
“I watched every game he played last year and I’ve got to give it to him. He’s better than anyone right now.”
And “right now” Revis is nowhere to be seen, a hold out with the Jets. That hasn’t stopped head coach Rex Ryan from signing buses with predictions of a Super Bowl title and him from saying the defense would still be dominant without Revis.
Bailey disagrees.
“If the Jets want to do anything they better get this boy in camp,” the 11-year veteran said.
Revis is seeking to become the highest-paid corner in the game, but is scheduled to make $1 million this season and $10 million each over the final two years of his contract.
“If I was making what he’s making, I’d probably do the same thing,” Bailey said.
“I was fortunate enough to play with Deion Sanders,” Bailey said. “As a great corner you want to see who’s next. They tried to give it to Nnamdi (Asomugha), and I really wasn’t sold on it. But I was watching Revis when he played Brandon Marshall a couple years ago, and I was like, ‘This kid can play.’ Ty Law came up to me, he was on the team, and he said, ‘This kid is the real deal.’ And that’s when I really started watching him, and he is the real deal.”