JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Did he or didn’t he?
Judging from the evidence that stacked up against him yesterday, it appears one of Tim Tebow’s first acts as a Jet was to break the Ninth Commandment — the one about bearing false witness — when it came to describing how the openly devout quarterback became a Jet.
Tebow claimed in an introductory conference call with New York reporters late Wednesday night that he had no say in whether the Broncos traded him to the Jets or the Jaguars — the only two teams to make an offer for the NFL’s most polarizing player.
“I didn’t really have any [input],” Tebow said in response to the first question on the call. “The Broncos had all that power. I was just waiting like everyone else.”
That claim was immediately disputed yesterday morning by Broncos VP John Elway, who told a Denver radio station Tebow was consulted throughout the day Wednesday after an initial deal with the Jets fell through in a money dispute and Tebow’s hometown Jaguars rejoined the trade discussions.
According to Elway’s description, proof that Tebow had the final choice was the fact the Broncos ended up settling for less money and worse draft picks from the Jets than from new Jacksonville owner Shad Khan.
Although the Jaguars reportedly offered to pay Denver $3 million of Tebow’s remaining $5.1 million salary advance and a high fourth-round pick, the Broncos settled for the Jets’ proposal of $2.53 million toward the advance and lower picks in the fourth and sixth rounds. Those picks combined weren’t worth as much as Jacksonville’s lone choice because Denver also sent a seventh-rounder to New York with Tebow.
“There was more [offered] from Jacksonville, but I think that we looked at it and it was close enough, and we were in contact with Tim throughout the day, and talked to him,” Elway told ESPN Radio in Denver. “He knew what was going on the whole time. The reports that he was not involved are not accurate.”
The Jaguars appeared to line up with Elway’s version of events yesterday after a CBS Sports report that Jacksonville’s football staff had discouraged Tebow by telling him he would have to accept the meager role of third-string quarterback and special-teams player if he chose them.
The Jets were much more welcoming to Tebow, instantly elevating him over new signee Drew Stanton to the job of top backup to Mark Sanchez and openly relishing the chance to have him frequently run the Wildcat offense.
New Jaguars coach Mike Mularkey, speaking at an event for season-ticket holders last night, did not deny his staff — despite the wishes of the team’s new owner — had discouraged Tebow when asked specifically about the report.
“Some of that’s confidential to talk about, but we talked about all scenarios as far as the backup quarterback,” Mularkey said. “He has some rare ability to do some things, and all of that was discussed.”