Tim Tebow, the Pray Hey Kid, held court inside the Jets fieldhouse yesterday, across from photos of Joe Namath and Weeb Ewbank and the other members of the club’s Ring of Honor, because it is the only place big enough to accommodate the swarm of local and national media that is captivated by his story.
He isn’t the starting quarterback. He is bigger than that. He already is the face of the franchise. Not even Rex Ryan is on a billboard by the Lincoln Tunnel.
Mark Sanchez didn’t show his face yesterday, and hasn’t since the Jets decided it would be a wonderful idea to pull the rug out from under their young, franchise quarterback.
But he did come out of hiding, finally, on the upside-down day when the Jets’ brain trust used the occasion of the NFL meetings in Florida to allow assistant public relations director Jared Winley to preside over the Pray Hey Kid’s official introduction.
TEBOW MAKES GOLDEN IMPRESSION TACKLING NY MEDIA CRUNCH
SANCHEZ SAYS HE DOESN’T FEEL HEAT FROM TEBOW ARRIVAL
Four-and-a-half hours after Tebow was front and center, Sanchez surfaced — on a conference call with Jets beat writers. No television cameras. No photographers. Just 10 or so familiar voices.
Sanchez: What, me worry?
Sanchez: Welcome aboard, Tim.
It is admirable that he chooses to fight to keep his job, that he is confident enough in his own abilities to believe that standing on higher ground will keep him safe from the tsunami rolling in on him.
He sounded brainwashed. Or hypnotized.
He is Dead Quarterback Walking.
And either doesn’t know it, belongs in the Canton Hall of Naïve or is in denial.
Is Tebow a threat? Nah.
“We’re adding another player, and we’re not replacing anybody,” Sanchez said.
Worried about your job? Nah.
“I’m not worried about losing my spot,” Sanchez said.
Worried about a quarterback controversy? Nah.
“I don’t get into the negative hypotheticals like that,” Sanchez said. “I don’t think he’s a distraction. … They call for the backup anytime you’re not playing to your potential.”
One huge difference: No one was calling for Mark Brunell last season. There was no Brunellmania. Sanchez has no clue what horrors await him should he stumble.
“There is going be more media buzz and attention on us as players,” Sanchez said. “I don’t pay attention to stuff like that.”
He’ll have no choice. It will be everywhere he turns. The problem is he won’t be able to borrow those earplugs Bobby Bonilla used to wear in the Shea Stadium outfield because he’ll need to hear the plays come in from new offensive coordinator Tony Sparano on his headset.
Sanchez is putting 2 and 2 together and coming up with 6. He is being deluded by the contract extension he signed, and by the poppycock from the decision-makers that he is the No. 1 quarterback.
Sure, he’s the No. 1 quarterback. Until he isn’t.
He is conveniently forgetting the Jets would have thanked him for his time had Peyton Manning wanted any part of playing for Rex Ryan and in the shadow of kid brother Eli. He is ignoring the ominous warnings from his owner Woody Johnson and GM Mike Tannenbaum about how he better improve this season, ignoring the promises Ryan already has made publicly to give Tebow as many as 20 snaps a game, ignoring the fact that his head coach and his “backup” quarterback share the same agent in Jimmy Sexton.
“We’ll be able to encourage one another and be stronger together than we would be apart,” Tebow said.
There is no record of Siamese twins ever taking a snap in an NFL game.
“The way I feel about the Wildcat really is secondary,” Sanchez said.
Let’s see how he feels about it when he’s on the sidelines watching Tebow operate it.
“I’m a team guy, and I’ll do whatever it takes to win,” Sanchez said. “If changing a few things up a couple of times a game is what we need to do, then I’m totally on board.”
Former Wildcat QB Brad Smith was missed last season. But Smith didn’t want Sanchez’s job. There was no Smithmania either.
“When it comes to Coach [Ryan], we’re just excited at how dynamic a player Tim is,” Sanchez said. “He really does add a new wrinkle similar to the way Brad Smith and Jeremy Kerley can change things up.”
Short leash? Nah.
“I think Mike T. and Rex have been clear on that, that I’m the starter, that they have faith in me,” Sanchez said.
He is such a good soldier. Patton would have loved him, sadly for him, probably more than Woody Johnson, Mike Tannenbaum and Rex Ryan do.
steve.serby@nypost.com