Transcript of Mike Francesa-Darrelle Revis interview on WFAN by Neil Best

10/21/11, Neil Best: "Mike Francesa introduced his interview with Darrelle Revis on WFAN Friday afternoon by saying the star cornerback is "the only Jet who talks to me, the only one who likes me, still."

That wouldn't last long. The interview ended with a Jets public relations official coming onto the line as Revis got increasingly agitated and ordering the player to hang up, something Francesa said had never happened to him before in his radio career. The PR official later called and apologize to Francesa's producer, the host said on air a short time after the incident.

Here is a transcript of a conversation between the two about the play Monday night on which Revis made contact with Dolphins receiver Brandon Marshall before intercepting a pass and returning it 100 yards for a touchdown.

Revis: To say this one more time: I did not mug Brandon Marshall. No, no, no, no, no.

Francesa: I want you to come in this studio with me when you have a chance and I'll donate anything to your best charity if you tell me you don't have him by the jersey 10 yards down the field.

Revis: First of all, if you know football and you watch the film, you can see he was tripping. Then he ran into me. That's the only thing I can do is put my hands in the way, and then when I saw the ball I moved him out of the way, pushed him out of the way to get the interception. That's not mugging him.

Francesa: Oh, that's how you had his jersey. He fell into you.

Revis: So you know football.

[Francesa was laughing out loud at this point, and he continued to smile throughout the rest of the interview, which he later described as "playful" and "teasing." But Revis became increasingly upset.]

Revis: You know football or do you know how to ask questions and interview people?

Francesa: Hey, listen, you can say whatever you want, you know you can't touch him like that down the field.

Revis: Do you know football or are you good at interviewing?

Francesa: I'm both.

Revis: No you're not, you're good at one and I'm good at one.

Francesa: You're very good at one but I know what I'm watching here.

Revis: And you're very good at one, too.

Francesa: You know you can't touch him like that down the field.

Revis: Just keep it at that, just keep it at that, just keep it at that.

Francesa: I will donate whatever you want if you try to squirm out of this one.

Revis: I don't need no donations. I don't need no donations, trust me.

Francesa: You want to go on the record and say that's not a penalty?

Revis: A penalty? I can say whatever I want to say. It's not a penalty.

Francesa: Not a penalty?

Revis: Did the ref throw the flag? OK, then it's not a penalty.

Francesa: He's not allowed to miss one?

Revis: It's not a penalty, just like if the ref doesn't throw the flag when he pushes off on me. This is a game, brother, I mean, what are you talking about?

Francesa: I didn't say you didn't get away with one.

Revis: It's a number of things that go on on that field that you have no clue. But you know football.

Francesa: Wait a second, aren't you allowed to get away with one, though?

Revis: There's a whole bunch of things that go on on the field that you have no clue, so hey, did they throw the flag? No, they didn't.

Francesa: No, they did not throw a flag.

Revis: OK, so the play is the play. The play is the play.

Francesa: That doesn't mean you didn't get away with one.

Revis: The play was the play. The play was the play. Actually, the ball was behind him anyway. He was nowhere in sight to catch the ball. So what are you talking about? The ball was way behind him. I had to move him out of the way to get the ball.

Francesa: You are still the only one in the world that doesn't think that was a penalty.

Revis: I don't care. I don't care what everybody thinks.

Francesa: I don't expect you to care. It's over with.

Revis: I watched the film. I watched the film. And you're good at interviewing. I'm good at what I do. Leave it at that.

Francesa: Well, wait a second: Are you trying to tell me that just because you're a corner and I'm not that I can't say that was a penalty? Now, c'mon.

Revis: Why, because you have a radio station? Why, because you have an influential voice that you can say what you want to say?

Francesa: Yeah. I'm allowed to have an opinion.

Revis: OK, that's your opinion. Have you ever been out on that field?

Francesa: That doesn't matter. That's not fair.

Revis: Yes it does. Yes it does.

Francesa: Did Jon Gruden say that was a penalty?

Revis: I don't care who said it. Jon Gruden, you, whoever. I don't care.

Francesa: Wait a second, so no one can have . . .

Jared Winley: Hey, Darrelle, Darrelle, stop.

Francesa: Who's that talking?

Winley: This is Jared Winley from the Jets p.r. staff.

Revis: This is why nobody wants to get interviewed by him.

Francesa: Oh, stop. Wait a second. Get back. What are you getting on there for?

Revis: Whatever, dude.

Winley: Darrelle, hang up.

Revis: Bye.

Francesa: This is unbelievable . . . I was only kidding around with him. You have to be kidding me. Listen, now I'm going to be serious for a second: Yes, that was a penalty. I don't care what he says. I was kidding around with him and now he's going to make a big deal about it.

Here's why the Jets shouldn't give me any players. You're going to tell me I shouldn't be honest with the guy? I'm the only person who thought that was a penalty, including Gruden, [Ron] Jaworski and everybody else who watched the play?. This is why I don't get on with the Jets, that's the bottom line. That's my last shot with it. Now I don't even have one Jet who likes me. That's unbelievable.

I have to be honest, folks, there's nothing I can do. If it's Revis or not Revis, and he's a great player, I'm not going to have him tell me something is that isn't. I was ready to move on, but he wouldn't let me move on. That's the bottom line. I'm sorry, this is a penalty. For them to hang up is ridiculous. I was ready to move on. That would have been the end of it.

I have no problem with Revis getting mad at me but just because he says it's not a penalty it's not a penalty.

• Now I lost the last Jet I can talk to. Now I have no Jets to talk to. Well, what can I do?"

10/21/11, "Darrelle Revis hangs up on WFAN's Mike Francesa," Neil Best SportsWatch, Newsday (subscription)

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