Tim Tebow may not have a bigger fan than Rex Ryan.
The New York Jets coach who failed to integrate the run-first quarterback into his offense last season faced several questions on Tuesday about the New England Patriots' newest player. Predictably, he was a bit more talkative than Bill Belichick.
“It’s not a surprise to me that Tim would be picked up,” Ryan told reporters as the Jets opened up minicamp on Tuesday. “Obviously, as I’ve said before, [he’s a] tremendous young man, very competitive. I’m happy for him and look forward to competing against him.”
If Ryan were completely honest then he may have said that he was "hoping" to compete against Tebow. With Tom Brady owning a 17-5 career record against the Jets, Ryan would likely rather face the signal caller that he felt wasn't capable of supplanting Mark Sanchez.
“If they want to replace Brady with him, that’s fine,” Ryan quipped on Tuesday.
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Of course, Tebow authored one his miracle endings against Ryan's team in 2011. With the Jets clinging to a 13-10 lead in the fourth quarter during a "Thursday Night Football" game in November, Tebow drove the Broncos' offense 95 yards and then ran for the winning score with just 58 seconds remaining.
If Tebow sticks on the Patriots' roster entering the season, then he could possibly get his first crack at Ryan's team during another "Thursday Night Football" matchup. The AFC East rivals are set for a prime time battle in Week 2.