CORTLAND — Jets coach Rex Ryan bit his tongue so much yesterday, he’ll probably need stitches.
Ryan refused to take the bait when asked about President Barack Obama’s criticism of the Jets’ acquisition of quarterback Tim Tebow.
“I respect President Obama and I respect the fact that this is his opinion,” Ryan said.
That’s it? No one-liner? No promise to see him in the Rose Garden?
“That’s it. I’m not taking the layup and all that jazz,” Ryan said.
Asked if he’ll remind Obama of what he said if the Jets win the Super Bowl and he receives a call from Obama, Ryan showed restraint.
“I can’t go there with my president’s comments because we know I haven’t seen him yet,” he said.
Some of Ryan’s players were more vocal.
“He shouldn’t be [worried],” cornerback Antonio Cromartie said. “We don’t have a two-quarterback system. We have a one quarterback system, and that’s with Mark.
“He shouldn’t be worried, the Jets fans shouldn’t be worried at all.”
Guard Matt Slauson was even more direct.
“He doesn’t play football with the Jets,” Slauson said. He then gave a no comment when asked if he would vote for Obama.
* Former Jets safety Jim Leonhard visited the Bills over the last few days and there’s a chance the team will sign him. Leonhard was known as the “quarterback” of the Jets defense and spent four years in Ryan’s system. So is Ryan worried the Bills will gain a scout as well as a safety?
“It’s not a concern,” Ryan said. “They have a ton of film. They have, what? Twelve-hundred plays from last year they can go back and watch. Jim does have a great grasp of what we do defensively, no question about that. I’m sure Jim’s there because he’s a good football player.”
The Jets opted not to bring Leonhard back after he suffered his second straight season-ending leg injury last year.
* Ryan hopes the coaches of the Bills, their first regular season opponent, are losing sleep over what the Jets might do with Tebow: “The great thing is whether the Buffalo Bills [think] we’re going to use him 20 snaps. We’re going to use him two snaps, 50 snaps, they don’t know. All I know is they have to prepare for him. I know what does that to your preparation time.” … The “Green and White” scrimmage is tonight. The Jets have moved it inside the stadium, which fits 6,500 fans, at SUNY-Cortland for the first time. … WR Santonio Holmes [soreness] did not do team drills. WR Jeremy Kerley [hamstring] did not practice. Safety LaRon Landry did not practice, but Ryan said it was a planned day off. He will play in the scrimmage. OLB Bryan Thomas [groin] and RT Wayne Hunter [back] both skipped some of team drills. … The Jets signed LB Demario Ambrose.