Report: Rex Ryan Wanted Tebow To Be More Involved, But Tony Sparano Opposed It
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - In what was very likely his last game as a member of the New York Jets, Tim Tebow played one down against the Buffalo Bills.
He didn't pass the ball. He didn't throw it.
He handed the pigskin off to Joe McKnight.
Sums up his season with Gang Green perfectly, doesn't it?
Tebow, who led Denver to the playoffs before being acquired by now-former general manager Mike Tannenbaum prior to the season, wasn't given a chance to contribute for New York this season.
But why? Why didn't he get a shot to prove himself for a team whose offense was consistently putrid all season long?
According to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News, coach Rex Ryan wanted the backup quarterback to be more involved all season, but offensive coordinator Tony Sparano was opposed to it. Ultimately, Mehta reported, Ryan wasn't "assertive" enough with his coordinator when it came to implementing change.
Mehta tweeted that, although Sparano never believed in Tebow's ability, the head coach "put his foot down" prior to the Jets' Monday Night Football game against the Titans in Week 15 and ordered that Tebow play the third offensive series.
Tebow still got barely any playing time the rest of the season, and Sparano will soon be fired, according to ESPN.
"I'm not going to worry about whether I was treated fair," Tebow, who admitted that he was disappointed about never having the opportunity to start, said.
And he didn't shy away from the fact that it was quite dysfunctional in Florham Park this season, which is maybe the understatement of the century.
"There definitely was a fair share of drama this year," the former first-round pick said. "That's for sure."
Reports have indicated that the third-year player will either be traded or released in the offseason, and will likely join his hometown Jacksonville Jaguars, who are in need of a quarterback.
Ryan wouldn't go into detail about that matter.
"Tim's under contract," Ryan said. "So we'll see what happens."
And Tebow, who repeatedly said throughout the season that he wanted to be a Jet, didn't seem too eager about the prospect of returning to New Jersey in 2013.
"Oh, I'm not sure," Tebow said when asked about his status for next season.
The 6-foot-3, 236-pounder appeared in 12 games for the Jets this season. He attempted just eight passes, completing six of them for 39 yards. He carried the ball 32 times for 102 yards and didn't score a touchdown.
If this is true, then what does it say about Rex Ryan as a head coach? Sound off with your thoughts and comments in the section below...
