Trading for Tim Tebow and bringing ‘Tebowmania’ to New York quickened the pulse of Jets fans in the Big Apple, which has already had a Linsane love affair this winter with the heartwarming rise of unsung Jeremy Lin with the NBA’s Knicks.
But on the gridiron, Tebow’s potential impact was not as clear and raised the question of how adding a high-profile quarterback might affect the delicate psyche of starting signal caller Mark Sanchez.
Sanchez, who in the past has bristled at sharing practice snaps with former backup Mark Brunell and feuded with dissatisfied wide receiver Santonio Holmes, was recently given a three-year contract extension with $20.5 million in guarantees.
That move seemed to be the Jets’ way of reaffirming their faith in the 25-year-old quarterback who helped them reach the AFC Championship game in each of his first two NFL seasons but struggled through a mediocre 2011 campaign that ended with three losses and an 8-8 record.
Full story: Analysis: Trade for Tebow shakes up Jets’ QB lineup