Woody Johnson: Revis wanted to get back playing football

Woody Johnson looked out onto the Jets' lush practice field, catching a sight he had been longing to see for weeks, one that left the owner feeling downright giddy like everyone else.

"Totally," Johnson said this afternoon. "Bart Scott was doing the Rudy thing -- 'Rudy! Rudy! -- and all this. I mean, they were so happy to have him. He’s a real leader on the team and he’s the guy. They welcomed him back as I did, as the coach did, as Mike [Tannenbaum] did, and the whole group upstairs did."

But that scene with Darrelle Revis surrounded by his teammates didn't seem fathomable just a few days ago, when both sides remained locked in a bitter dispute that's been brewing throughout the last five months. Johnson and Rex Ryan flew down to South Florida on Saturday afternoon to meet with Revis, his uncle Sean Gilbert and his mother Diana Gilbert with hopes they could get something accomplished.  

"It was kind of a group think deal," Johnson said. "Someone suggested we do it and Rex and I said, 'Yeah, let’s go down. That’s one thing we haven’t tried yet.'"

Revis' camp welcomed the idea, so they met in a conference room for about three hours. By the time the meeting was over, Johnson had a better feeling than he had before entering that room, thinking they could reach an agreement.

The true breakthrough came last night, though.

"We achieved a little bit of momentum when we went down on Saturday, and then last night, the good thing about being a negotiator is you have to have a lot of endurance," Johnson said. "Mike and his team and the coach were up to all hours, sleeping in the office and everything else. That’s what it takes and Mike’s also doing 12 other things. We are signing all these practice squad guys and all that has to be done.

"Last night we started getting down to the brass tax and what each party needs. What do you need Revis and what do we have to make the deal reasonably good for us?"

With the season opener looming next Monday, this was becoming a pressing matter.

"The season is upon us," Johnson said. "The Ravens are the 13th, 7:00 ESPN, at our new stadium. That's a fact of life, so there’s plays to learn, getting in shape, there’s all those obvious things you have to do as a football player. I think the schedule was one of the more compelling parts of it."

Johnson added: "I think more compelling was the fact that I think Darrelle wanted to get back to playing football. I think his mother and his uncle as well wanted him to get back and do what he does."

Did having Ryan help seal the deal?

"Rex is the end of the process, so I think he had a big impact," Johnson said. "My own view of it,  Rex ended up being the coach, he handled himself just like a coach. He loves his players and all that. So I think it’s all good for Rex in terms of his relationship with this particular player and this team."