Tim Tebow makes the Jets a better football team. He will make the wildcat an effective weapon. And yesterday he showed he has Mark Sanchez’s back.
That is something there has been far too little of around the Jets.
Santonio Holmes said Wednesday that Sanchez was “rattled’’ by the trade for Tebow. The Jets’ new backup quarterback said he didn’t get that sense at all.
“I don’t know that he was rattled,’’ Tebow said. “[Sanchez] called me a few hours after it happened and we had a great talk. And I felt like our relationship has been great ever since, before that even, so.’’
No, you never can have too much Tebow.
Sanchez said Holmes might have overstated his surprise at the addition of Tebow.
“I think [Holmes] made it a little more dramatic. When you read it in the paper, it sounds like a Lifetime movie script or something, [like] he’s talking me off the ledge or something like that,” the quarterback told ESPN in a radio interview for Sunday’s pregame show. “Anybody in that situation would have a couple of questions about a trade like that. But as soon as I talked to the team, I really started to understand that [Tebow] is an addition, he’s not changing anything. He’s here to help us.
“I’m the starting quarterback. It’s nice to know that for your confidence, but at the same time, nothing was going to change how I came into the season, mentally and physically,’’ Sanchez added. “I’ve said it before: Whether it was Peyton Manning or Tim Tebow, it didn’t really matter. I was going to play and I plan on playing well.”
When Tebow was asked what people will be saying about the Wildcat on Monday, he answered, “Hopefully that we did something effective and we’re efficient when we are in the game and we are able to contribute to hopefully a win.’’
The Jets need a win in their opener tomorrow at MetLife Stadium against the Bills more than ever because of the circus atmosphere that surrounds this team.
As for exactly how he will be used, Tebow said, “I honestly don’t know. I think that’s up to the coaches based on how the game is going. You never know. We just want to be ready for when our number is called. I’m excited and I’m looking forward to it. I don’t know if I’m necessarily anxious. It’s my third year playing now. I feel like I’ve gone out there and shown that I can do it. Now, it’s about helping my team win football games.’’
No player is more prepared to play in a three-ring circus than Tebow.
“I’d say it’s been a little bit of a whirlwind,’’ Tebow said. “But it’s been fun. I am very blessed to be here. I had a lot of great memories in Denver, but this is where I want to be. This is where I’m excited to be and hopefully I can help this football team win some football games.’’
His focus is on “being a great teammate,’’ and he will help Sanchez on the sideline.
“You have to know the person and know the situation,’’ Tebow said. “Sometimes it’s not about, ‘Hey, this is this.’ Sometimes it’s about loosening someone up and joking with them and making them have fun. So it’s just knowing the person and having that relationship. I feel we do.’’
Tebow has a good sense of humor. When someone asked, “Do you call it Tebowing?’’ he laughed and said, “No. It started last year and someone came up with it. … For me, it started as praying.’’
As for balancing faith and football on Sundays he noted, “When you play this early, it’s not like you get a chance to go to church, but we have a great chaplain who does a great service for us on Saturday night. That’s pretty cool.
“I will pray just like I will every morning. I won’t change, just because it’s a game day.’’
Tim Tebow is a winning football player; and a great teammate and tomorrow he will be out to show it as a Jet.