BOSTON — There has never been a pairing of head coach and quarterback like this, not even Weeb Ewbank and Broadway Joe Namath, not even Chuck Noll and Terry Bradshaw, not even Walt Michaels and Doug Flutie with the USFL Generals.
In this corner of the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center, Son of Bounty Buddy, former rabblerouser from Ardmore, Oklahoma, X-rated star of “Hard Knocks,” heavyweight champion of Mexican food and guarantees, the coach who gets players to run through a brick wall, Rex Ryannnnnnnn. Ryan.
And in this corner of the Atlantic Health Training Center, the former Heisman Trophy winner from Jacksonville, Florida, the missionary man with the mission, an inspirational player who gets teammates to believe, the polarizing figure who now brings his legion of Tebowmaniacs to New York and New Jersey, Tim Tebowwwwwwww. Tebow.
Meet the Ungodly Couple.
The coach to whom defense, and winning football games, is a religion.
The player to whom religion is a way of life, as is winning football games.
What we will have here, ladies, gentlemen and Jets fans of all ages, is a passion play.
Ryan is so passionate about winning and about his players that he will cry at a team meeting.
RYAN READY TO CHANGE PLANS FOR WILDCAT TEBOW
Tebow is so passionate about winning that he delivered a speech, now immortalized as The Promise on an engraved plaque outside Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. It was delivered after Ole Miss had beaten Tebow’s Gators 31-30 on Sept. 27, 2008:
“I promise you one thing. A lot of good will come out of this. You will never see any player in the entire country play as hard as I will play the rest of the season. You will never see someone push the rest of the team as hard as I will push everybody the rest of the season. You will never see a team play harder than we will the rest of the season.”
Florida went on to win the national championship, which means Tebow immediately replaces Ryan as team prophet.
Tebow also cried on the sidelines at the end of a 32-13 loss to Alabama in the Southeast Conference Championship game in December 2009.
So it seems inevitable that Ryan and Tebow will be filming a Kleenex commercial together.
Or perhaps instead of Terrible Towels, Jets fans can wave Crying Towels on days Tebow comes off the bench and fails to rescue Mark Sanchez. Of course, Sanchez might be compelled to order a stock for himself when his eardrums are punctured by the inevitable drumbeat for Tebow when the Tebow-maniacs inside Met Life Stadium decide it is Tebow Time.
Ryan is boisterous and brash and can rub people — Tom Brady, Channing Crowder, Tony Dungy — the wrong way. Tebow is humble and well-mannered and genuine, and the only people he rubs the wrong way are those who believe there should be a separation of church and press conference.
But all signs point to Tebow being installed as the starter ahead of Sanchez on the teacher’s pet depth chart.
This is not to say that Ryan isn’t still fond of the Sanchise. It’s just that the bloom is off the rose a tad after last season. And Tebow plays the way Ryan coaches — with a competitive fire that rages into a towering inferno. And Tebow and Ryan have confronted an army of doubters, and still do — Ryan as an irreverent coach, Tebow as an inaccurate quarterback.
Any owner, and just about any coach, would want Tebow on his team. Giving him a Wildcat role while trying to develop him into an NFL passer would have been ideal behind, say, a Peyton Manning. Except that Manning didn’t want any part of the drama that Tebow carries with him wherever he goes. And if Manning didn’t want it, think about the pressure it puts now on Sanchez in this put-up-or-shut-up season.
Remember, Broncos coach John Fox didn’t want to play Tebow last season. But when Kyle Orton stumbled out of the gate, Tebow became the People’s Choice, and Fox and John Elway gave in. And overhauled the offense and watched with amazement as their miracle-worker quarterback who often appears to be throwing with the wrong hand began lifting his team and his city and became the savior.
But for Sanchez now, there is a real danger Ryan will become infatuated with Tebow. Not to mention his new teammates, who will start wondering whether Tebow can part Bill Belichick’s defense should Sanchez struggle to get off the deck.
But therein lies the Catch-15: Tebow has all the intangibles you want in a player and teammate. But he’s anything but Namath throwing the ball, and he isn’t even Sanchez.
The Jets have defined Tebow’s role for him in no uncertain terms. He is the backup quarterback/utility man. Tebow will bring his lion’s heart to the competition anyway. When you have two young quarterbacks, and one of them coming off a troubling season, the potential is real for a powder keg. (See Richard Todd versus Matt Robinson; see Phil Simms versus Scott Brunner.) Especially when the fanatical football quarterback is backed by all his fanatical followers.
Ryan will fall in love with Tebow, guaranteed. So much so that if the Sanchise falters, he will look at Tebow throw and just might decide he sees Kenny (Snake) Stabler. Or a 245-pound Steve Young.
So much so that he won’t be talking anymore about Play Like A Jet. Instead, he’ll be telling his team to Pray Like A Jet.
And pray for all of them.