Should the Jets Retire Number 24?

Jets cornerback Morris Claiborne made an interesting comment after Monday’s practice.

Teams sometimes do not reissue the number right after an iconic player leaves. It doesn’t always lead to that number being retired.

Should the Jets issue number 24 again?

Pros: Revis had the best Jets career since Curtis Martin. He was the best player the team has drafted since the turn of the century and has the best Hall of Fame case of any recent homegrown Jet. He was at the top of his position in green and white.

Cons: Retiring a number sometimes relies on more than raw performance. Revis didn’t endear himself to fans with multiple holdouts. His first departure from the team was messy and drama-filled. He then went to the hated Patriots and helped them win a championship. He then returned to the Jets on a big money contract that ended up being an expensive mistake.

My verdict: I think this is a case where Revis was so great on the field during his peak it overrides the other ugly stuff. I don’t think 24 should be reissued.

At the very least the Jets are avoiding what they did after his first departure when guys like Phillip Adams and Dimitri Patterson wore number 24 (at least for one preseason game in Patterson’s case)

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