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Woody Johnson: 'I'm Not A Cheapskate'

New York Jets owner Woody Johnson is irritated by cornerback Darrelle Revis' assertion that he is cheap.

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“Last year, they said I was overspending like Dan Snyder or Al Davis,” Johnson told the Daily News this morning. “I was accused of being a profligate spender. Now, you’re saying that I’m not spending enough. We spent enough… We’ve been on the high end of the league spending for the 10 years that I’ve been in the league. I’ve never told Mike (Tannenbaum) that he couldn’t get a player. We have to live within the rules of the NFL and within the cap and with the player rules that were set years ago.”

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“Within the rules, we’re going to do what it takes to win a championship,” Johnson added. “We’re committed to doing that. We’re committed to fielding the best team that we can field within those rules… We will live within those rules. But we’re dedicated to fielding a championship team. Nothing has changed in that department.”

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Johnson, however, maintained the importance of operating within sensible rules.

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“Despite what many people think, the Jets is a business,” Johnson said. “We do have payrolls to make and we have taxes to pay… We have some rules. We have a budget. Just like we have had every other year in the 10 years I’ve been here.”

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Here, by the way, is what Revis said.
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"The Jets need to pay their guys," Revis said. “…Not just us, a lot teams might try to be cheap this year because they don't know what's going to happen in the future with the lockout. We understand those situations. But also as players, we’re fighting for ourselves."
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Revis, arguably the NFL's best cornerback, holds all the cards here -- at least in my opinion. The Jets are moving into a new stadium, Johnson desperately wants to win a Super Bowl, the 2014 Super Bowl is coming to New York/New Jersey.
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The last thing in the world Johnson can do is let Revis get away -- no matter what the cost. They both know it, and Revis will push Johnson for every last penny he can possibly get.
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