It’s still very early, just the end of the first week of voluntary workouts, but the first meetings of the Jets new quarterback corps has been smooth sailing so far. Mark Sanchez had nothing but positives to say about new Jets backup and wildcat quarterback Tim Tebow… and a few interesting things to say about his new offensive coordinator.
“[Tebow]’s been as advertised, as good of a guy, if not better, than anybody said,” Sanchez said at an appearance this week. “He’s been a great addition so far. I’m thrilled to work with him.”
When the Jets signed Tebow, while announcing that Mark Sanchez was still their starter, it seemed like a recipe for disaster. The Jets admitted to having locker room discord last season. Tebow is the most recognizable figure in the NFL and he knows how to win despite his up-and-down numbers. Sanchez had some rough patches last year as well, causing the Jets to miss the playoffs after two successive Championship Game appearances.
The concern is that with such a visible backup, Sanchez will feel pressure every time he makes an errant throw, and some portion of the rabid Tebow Faithful will begin chanting Tebow’s name after every interception. But so far, all is well in the Meadowlands.
“From a competitor standpoint, he’s great,” Sanchez said. “He’s what you want in an offseason program — working hard, competing with the guy in the weight room. This is a big, strong guy, so it’s good for me. That’s been one of my goals this offseason — putting on a little more muscle mass. I’ve taken a beating during the season. It’s been a good transition and Tim’s been great.”
Not only does Sanchez have a new backup quarterback to adjust to, he’s also got a new offensive coordinator as he is getting to know Tony Sparano for the first time. And he compares Sparano to a famous Goodfella.
“Coach Sparano is tough,” he said. “He sounds like Joe Pesci sometimes when he’s installing plays. He’ll say, ‘You got it? You got it? I’m not speaking for my health. You got it?’ It’s ‘Yes, sir’ [from] the entire room.”
The combination of Rex Ryan, Sanchez (who is the 2012 version of Broadway Joe), Tebow (the Meadowlands Messiah) and the Pesci-esque Sparano sounds made-for-TV (are you listening Hard Knocks?). We just need to find out if all the pieces can come together on the field.
