The 2012 season hasn't gone according to plan, not for the Jets, not for Mark Sanchez, and especially not for Tim Tebow. A year ago, Tebow was in the middle of leading the Broncos to the AFC West title and a wild-card win over the Steelers.
So when the Jets traded for Tebow in March, the plan -- at least to hear coach Rex Ryan tell it -- was to accentuate the former Heisman Trophy winner's strengths: namely, run-based schemes built around the wildcat offense. That hasn't happened. He played an entire series for the first time last week and, well, things didn't go particularly well.
Instead, Tebow has been forgotten on the Jets' bench. This week, the coaching staff named third-teamer Greg McElroy the starter, passing over Tebow in the process and leading to speculation that the Jaguars could be in Tebow's future.
Despite the setbacks, Tebow's not going away. Earlier Sunday, it looked like he would be a healthy scratch for the Week 16 Chargers game. But thanks to a Christmas miracle, he will, in fact, be active.
#RL NYJ inactives: WR Mardy Gilyard CB Aaron Berry, CB Donnie Fletcher LB Ricky Sapp Davis DL D.Harrison G C.Schlauderaff TE Dustin Keller
— New York Jets (@nyjets) December 23, 2012
It gets better:
Sanchez and Tebow have tied for backup. On flipcard, both listed in the No. 2 spot. #Jets #NFL
— Jane McManus (@janesports) December 23, 2012
Tebow hasn't spoken to his future in New York, but it's reasonable to think that he won't be back in 2013, despite what owner Woody Johnson might've said earlier this season.
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