Report: Tim Tebow Asked Jets Not to Be Used in Wildcat After Getting Passed Up as Starting Quarterback

by Doug Kyed on Sun, Dec 23, 2012 at 9:04PM

Tim Tebow is a good soldier who says all the right things to the media, but it seems he might be slightly more Jets-like and selfish behind closed doors.

Tebow asked Jets coaches to remove him from the Wildcat package after getting passed by Greg McElroy for the Jets’ starting quarterback spot, according to ESPN.com. The Jets moved Jeremy Kerley into that position, and he threw a 42-yard pass to Clyde Gates early in the first quarter of New York’s 27-17 loss to the Chargers.

Tebow reportedly told Jets coaches early in the week that he didn’t want to be used as a situational quarterback after he learned that McElroy would take over for Mark Sanchez. That allowed New York to implement Kerley into the spot.

In his postgame news conference, Rex Ryan said the team used Kerley for an element of surprise. He later said it was a coach’s decision to take Tebow out of the Wildcat spot.

This seems out of character for Tebow, but the quarterback did say this week that he wanted out of New York if McElroy starts the last two games of the season. A report came out on Saturday that Tebow will wind up back in his hometown of Jacksonville next season.