Given a second chance, Berry vows Jets won't be sorry

• Former Lions defensive back will shore up secondary
• Attorney says Berry's legal problems almost wrapped up
• Berry: Did I make mistakes? Yes. Am I a bad person? No

Darrelle Revis helped recruit Aaron Berry to the University of Pittsburgh and played host to the star of Harrisburg, Pa.'s Bishop McDevitt High School on a visit to the campus years ago.

Revis gave Berry advice back then. Now, he's providing even more at a critical point in Berry's NFL career.

"He just told me, 'Learn from your mistakes and take advantage of this opportunity,'" Berry told USA TODAY Sports by phone Monday night after signing a two-year contract with the New York Jets. "'Because you're not going to get a third.'"

TheJets are giving Berry his second chance after the Detroit Lions cut him in July following a pair of arrests – one for allegedly pointing a gun at three people in a parking lot in Harrisburg and another for suspicion of DUI.

Berry was projected to be a starter for the Lions after recording 11 passes defensed in 11 games last season. But, because of the legal problems, he was unemployed through the first quarter of this NFL season.

Having served a three-game suspension, Berry was reinstated this past week by the NFL, and after visits to the Jets and Miami Dolphins, he joined Rex Ryan's team to provide relief for the loss of Revis, arguably the best defensive player in the league who's now out for the season with a torn ACL.

"Oh, man, it's been tough. (Not playing) hit home, it definitely hit home," Berry said. "It was a wake-up call for me, being away from something you love to do … that I've been doing since I was 9 years old -- not knowing when you're going to be able to play again, when you did that for your whole life, and you might go a year without playing."

Ryan said quarterbacks coach Matt Cavanaugh, who was on the coaching staff at Pitt during Berry's time there, vouched for the former undrafted free agent.

"All precincts reported," Ryan said of the investigation into Berry's background. "We feel Aaron has a chance to be successful on and off the field here. If we didn't believe that, we wouldn't bring him in here."

Berry declined to discuss specifics of his case, which his agent, Audie Attar, said is ongoing. But Berry, in his first interview since his arrests, was willing to admit he hasn't used the best judgment.

When asked what he told the Jets, he said, "'Did I make two big, dumb mistakes? Yes, I did. But am I a bad person? No.'

"And people who know me and supported me in this league and throughout college were able to get that through to them as well," Berry said. "(The Jets) trusted me, and I'd be a fool to let them down with another mistake."

Berry's attorney, Corky Goldstein, said his client is close to wrapping up his legal woes. Goldstein said the charges for suspicion of DUI and simple assault likely will be rolled into one plea agreement with the Dauphin County District Attorney's Office.

Goldstein said the DUI charge came when Berry hit a parked car and a witness called police.

"He should've left a note," Goldstein said.

The other case was more serious: Berry, using a rental car, was with friends at a pizzeria in Harrisburg, Goldstein said. Berry said that when he returned to the car, a group of men wouldn't get out of the way. There was an argument and Berry brandished "a very small revolver," Goldstein said. The men scattered and called police. Berry was charged.

Goldstein said he believes Berry will get roughly 72 hours of jail time and one to two years of probation, which will be transferred to New Jersey. Goldstein expects the plea deal to include a fine and community service.

Berry claims he won't make another serious mistake, because he's converted his thinking from short-term to long-term.

"Short-term thinking, you're just making a decision off how you feel at the time, without thinking things through," he said. "Long-term thinking is when you think about the consequences and the people who are affected around you, not how you feel at that moment or what's going to make you look good."

Nothing would make Berry look better than redeeming himself with the Jets. He believes it's about to happen, though he knows he'll have to prove it to many.

"You don't get this opportunity too many times," he said. "People would die to be in my shoes, so I don't want to let that pass up ever again."