Tim Tebow Dropped by New York Jets: 'Things Didn't Work Out,' Says Rex Ryan
Tim Tebow is no longer on the New York Jets, the team announced on Monday.
Tebow, 25, went from being a starting quarterback who led the Denver Broncos to a playoff run in 2012 to being signed on with the Jets last March where he was mostly utilized for special teams options. While Tebow only completed eight pass attempts, six completions, 32 rushes and 102 yards with no touchdowns for the Jets, head coach Rex Ryan released a statement speaking about the team's appreciation for the 25-year-old who became the third string QB for the team.
"We have a great deal of respect for Tim Tebow," Ryan said in a statement obtained by ESPN. "Unfortunately, things did not work out the way we all had hoped. Tim is an extremely hard worker, evident by the shape he came back in this offseason. We wish him the best moving forward."
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While many people credited fired Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum for the trade that cost the team a fourth-round draft pick and $4 million that concluded in a 6-10 season and missed playoff opportunity, the former team executive explained his thought process behind going after Tebow.
"It's just a trade that didn't work out," Tannenbaum told ESPNNewYork.com after the season. "Each year, we'll make 200-plus transactions. Some worked out, some didn't."
However, some people lashed out at the Jets' decision to bring on Tebow and not utilize him at the QB position. Steve Clarkson, Tebow's personal QB instructor, spoke out against the Jets recently.
"I think in Tim's case, they walked him into New York and said, 'We've got four plays for you. You execute these four plays and that's all you're going to get,'" Clarkson told The Newark Star-Ledger. "Well, when you walk on the field and that's all you practice, and you don't get any meaningful reps and you walk into a game and basically the defense is telling your offensive line basically where the ball is going to go- it's pretty depressing and it doesn't give you much room for hope."
"I would hope whoever, wherever he ends up that they give him an opportunity, and I think if they do, they'll be pleasantly surprised. I think the guy still can play," he added.
Tebow has remained positive about his experience with the team despite his uncertain NFL future.
"I felt like it was a learning opportunity for me," Tebow told ESPN at the close of the season. "There was a lot that I'll take from it. There's a lot that I learned and there are lot of relationships that I've built, so I know that it happened for a reason."
