The NY Times offers a glimpse of how Darrelle Revis trained over the offseason.
Revis arrives in Arizona in late June, when many of his N.F.L. counterparts relax or take vacations. Everything with Revis and Sullivan is a competition, be it basketball, video games or training, filled with jawing back and forth.
But this year, as Revis sought to become the best cornerback in football, the training took on added intensity.
Revis came with a goal sheet that included, for the first time, earning top honors at his position. He brought a list of opposing receivers he would be shadowing across the field under the new defense installed by Coach Rex Ryan, with film on each.
Sullivan and Revis broke down that film together, then went about preparing for each receiver on the field. They fine-tuned Revis’s footwork, focused on his weaknesses, discussed receivers like Atlanta’s Roddy White whom Sullivan had trained.
Sometimes, after seven hours of training, the two headed to the basketball court, where they engaged in one-on-one games that lasted hours without water breaks.
Sometimes a player becomes the best because he is naturally gifted. Other times it is because he has the best work ethic. Revis is both. The scary thing is he's only 24 and starting his third season. Imagine what he's going to become with more experience.