At one point in time, the New York Jets were considered a respectable NFL franchise. Everyone took them seriously, mainly due to their ferocious defense and sneaky offense.
Over the last few seasons, though, they have quickly become the pariah of the league. They’re now the awkward kid eating glue that everyone sniggers at from a distance. While a big chunk of that infamy is a direct result of Rex Ryan’s actions and words as head coach, the Jets really became a laughingstock after the Tim Tebow debacle this past season.
Initially brought in to push incumbent quarterback Mark Sanchez for the starting gig, Tebow tanked with the Jets. The media magnet quickly displayed the inept passing abilities that made Denver Broncos VP John Elway so eager to trade him in the first place. Even when the opportunity came for him to run the ball, Tebow was generally ineffective. What was supposed to be a wild card acquisition for the Jets had quickly become a nightmare and all they could do was sit back and watch the madness unfold.
With Tebow out of the picture, though, the healing can begin.
No longer will the Jets have to battle the media circus that follows the former Heisman Trophy winner wherever he goes. No longer will they have to endure chants of “We want Tebow” every time Sanchez throws an interception or butt fumbles. No longer will Ryan have to explain to the media why, yet again, he has decided to keep the incompetent quarterback on the bench.
The Jets, however, aren’t completely out of the woods. This is just the first step in the right direction. The next step is ridding themselves of Sanchez and handing the reins to rookie Geno Smith, who is a better talent than the two aforementioned passers combined. He may not be ready to lead Gang Green to the playoffs this year like he promised (sorry Geno, you’re no Luck or RG3), but with experience, Smith can develop into the type of quality starter that the Jets always hoped Sanchez would become.
Getting rid of Ryan and finding a semi-sane head coach who cares more about his winning percentage than press conferences is also on the docket, but we’ll cross that bridge when we get there.
No matter how this upcoming season plays out for the Jets, one thing is certain. They’re better off without Tebow on the roster.
Gil Alcaraz IV is a Content Planner/NFL Featured Columnist for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @GilAlcarazIV, like him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.
