Jets' DeVito Feels Sorry For Tebow; 'I Would Have Liked To See Him Get A Chance'
NEW YORK (WFAN) - Seemingly nobody can understand why backup quarterback Tim Tebow wasn't given a shot to shine for the Jets this season.
Why did the Jets' brass bring him to New Jersey? Why wasn't he more of a factor for one of the worst offenses in the National Football League? And why was he leapfrogged for third-string quarterback Greg McElroy?
The answers to these questions have not been given, and it's left Gang Green fans both perplexed and frustrated. It's also left many of them feeling sorry for Tebow, who has a playoff win against the Steelers on his resume.
That sentiment isn't limited to fans. Some players feel it, too.
LISTEN: Jets defensive end Mike DeVito chats with Joe & Evan
"I'd be lying if I said I didn't feel for Tim and how it went down," Jets defensive end Mike DeVito told WFAN co-hosts Evan Roberts and Joe Benigno on Friday. "I don't make the decisions as far as who goes in there. I'm not qualified to do that, and I trust the guys that we have to do that, but Tim has such an intangible in the type of leader and the type of person that he is. I feel like it makes everybody around him play at a higher level. I would have liked to see him get a chance."
The former first-round pick threw just eight passes in his first -- and most likely last -- season with the Jets, completing six of them for 39 yards. He also carried the ball 32 times for 102 yards and never found the end zone.
"I think he's a great leader, I think he's a guy that could have won games for us, and I think that's why we had him here," DeVito said. "... I really do feel like with Tim at the helm, there is an aspect of it that you can't really put into words, but guys just want to rally behind him. And when you put Tim in that leadership role, that's where he excels ... I think (if) you put Tim in there, I think we win games. I really believe that."
DeVito was careful not to throw his starting quarterback, Mark Sanchez, under the bus. Sanchez, who regressed for the second consecutive year, was benched late in the season in favor of McElroy.
He ended the season with 18 interceptions and 14 fumbles.
"If he gets his confidence back, gets around his receivers again and gets Santonio (Holmes) back, I really feel like Mark can be the quarterback he was in 2009, 2010 when we were winning all those games," DeVito said.
DeVito, who has been with the Jets since 2007, is set to become a free agent when the offseason commences.
So will he be back in East Rutherford for the 2013 campaign?
That remains to be seen, but he doesn't plan to leave New Jersey for New England
"Being a Jets fan my whole life, I can understand (why fans would hate me if I played for the Patriots)," he said. "I think my family will hate me too if I go to New England. That would be tough for (my dad). He would have a tough time with that."
The sixth-year player recorded 52 combined tackles, a sack and two forced fumbles for New York in 2012.
Looks like the fans aren't the only ones who were frustrated about Tebow's lack of playing time. Sound off with your thoughts and comments below...
