NFL

Rex wanted token Tebow time if Jets were routing Jaguars

Tim Tebow’s status as a Jets mascot nearly grew on Sunday.

Jets coach Rex Ryan admitted he would have played Tebow in Sunday’s 17-10 win over the Jaguars had the game been a blowout to satisfy the Tebow fans in his hometown of Jacksonville.

“I wanted to do it, but obviously the game wasn’t that kind of situation,” Ryan said on 98.7 ESPN Radio. ‘‘I was hoping it would have been, but it clearly wasn’t. … I wouldn’t have had him throw a football or anything else. He just would have handed the ball off.”

Tebow was active for Sunday’s game, but did not play. Tebow is nursing broken ribs, and Ryan said that the doctors cleared Tebow to play if starter Mark Sanchez were injured. Ryan likely did not play Tebow in order to let his ribs heal further.

During the interview, Ryan also said Tebow’s role with the team has not worked as he envisioned it and the backup quarterback probably is unhappy with how his time in New York has played out.

Ryan was asked by host Michael Kay whether he thinks Tebow is disappointed he came to the Jets given the way it has worked out.

“That’s probably a true statement,” Ryan said. “As a competitor you want to have success, you want to have more opportunities.”

Ryan then backtracked a bit.

“I think he’s happy to be a Jet,” he said. “I truly believe that. In my heart of hearts, I think we all thought there might be more success for him personally running the Wildcat, doing different things than he’s enjoyed so far.”

Tebow has played sparingly this season for the Jets after months of hype and big talk about how the team would implement him.

Tebow has just 29 carries for 87 yards running a read-option package that has barely been used by offensive coordinator Tony Sparano. Ryan said he’s unhappy Tebow has not had more success.

“I guess I’m kind of a little surprised we haven’t had more success running the Wildcat,” Ryan said. “We’ll see what happens in these three weeks.”

***An MRI exam on WR Stephen Hill revealed a sprained LCL in his right knee. Hill left Sunday’s game in the second quarter. The team did not give a timeline for Hill’s return, saying it will know more Thursday when the team returns to practice. … OLB Bryan Thomas has a strained pectoral muscle and is day-to-day. … Ryan sounds encouraged TE Dustin Keller (ankle) could return this week after missing Sunday’s game.