FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Tim Tebow has been criticized for years about his quarterback skills, arm and throwing motion. FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Tim Tebow has been criticized for years about his quarterback skills, arm and throwing motion. ADVERTISING He
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Tim Tebow has been criticized for years about his quarterback skills, arm and throwing motion.
He refuses to accept anyone calling him a quitter or phony.
The New York Jets backup quarterback insisted Wednesday that he didn’t ask out of running the team’s wildcat plays last week but acknowledged what he said in a meeting with coach Rex Ryan might have been misinterpreted as such.
“I never said, ‘Hey, I don’t want to do anything or I won’t do anything,’” Tebow said. “That wasn’t the talk at all. He knows that, and everybody on this team knows that. I’d never not do something if I was asked, and I think that’s what’s disappointing about the whole situation, people saying, ‘You quit,’ or, ‘You didn’t do this.’ It was not it at all.
“It was just me asking to get an opportunity to play the position I love, which is quarterback. It wasn’t me asking out of anything.”
Last Tuesday, Ryan chose to go with third-stringer Greg McElroy over Tebow in place of the benched Mark Sanchez for Sunday’s game against the San Diego Chargers. After hearing the news, Tebow went to Ryan to discuss the situation and told him he wanted to be “a regular quarterback.”
“I was definitely disappointed and frustrated,” Tebow said.
ESPN New York first reported Sunday that Tebow had then asked out of the wildcat, and a person with knowledge of the situation confirmed that to The Associated Press. But Tebow thinks it was a situation in which he wishes he was “more clear” when he initially spoke with Ryan.
Tebow realized that Ryan might have misinterpreted what he said when they met when he wasn’t in wildcat packages during practice Wednesday and Thursday, and then sat down with the coach last Friday to clear the air.
“I just asked for an opportunity to play quarterback and he definitely understood that,” Tebow said, “and then Friday, I went up to him again and reiterated that, ‘Hey, I’ll do anything for this team like I have all year.’”
While Ryan never confirmed or denied the reports, the coach said, “If I would have asked Tim to play in anything, Tim would have gone into the game and done that.”
Tebow never played in the Jets’ 27-17 loss to the Chargers as wide receiver Jeremy Kerley handled the majority of snaps in the wildcat package.
More than anything else, Tebow said, he’s most disappointed by the attacks on his character and reputation during the last few days — adding that his Christmas “wasn’t the best” because of all the talk about how he let his team down.
“When people talk about how you play football and how much, that’s one thing,” Tebow said. “That really doesn’t bother me. I think the only thing that’s been disappointing these last few days and frustrating is people saying, ‘Oh, you quit on your team or you’re not a good teammate.’
“For people to not know the situation and then start to bash your character and then say you’re a phony or you’re a fake or you’re a hypocrite, I think that’s what’s disappointing and that’s what’s frustrating. Your character is who you are as a man, and that’s a lot more important.”
Tebow later added: “You work your whole life to build a reputation, and then people try to bring you down when they don’t understand even what happened. It’s disappointing.”
Browns’ Cribbs apologizes for profane tweet
BEREA, Ohio — Josh Cribbs promises to take out his frustrations on opponents and instead of fans.
The Browns’ kick returner apologized Wednesday for his profane tweet following Cleveland’s latest loss.
Cribbs knew he was wrong long before coach Pat Shurmur talked to him about it the next day.
“I knew it as soon as I hit the button,” he said Wednesday.
Cribbs said he was mad at himself for fumbling a punt, angry that it contributed to the 34-12 loss in Denver, then enraged when he got several derogatory messages.
“People think we’re out there playing a game, but for me it’s my life,” he said. “I’m all about football.
“It’s not impossible not to respond, but I play with so much passion. It’s not one of my characteristics to be passionless. I play the game with so much heart and soul and my teammates do the same. I’ve played my whole life for this opportunity. The comments I made were out of frustration.”
After being called out by what he said were “10 or 15” tweeting fans, Cribbs responded Sunday by sending out:
“See all the negativity on twitter after I gave my life to this …. . So 2 all u who are against me …. all y’all! I’m still gonna do me!”
He deleted it minutes later, then put out another saying, “There’s a new breed of haters out there disguised as fans.” He deleted that one as well.
It was too late.
“Most people never even saw it, but it got around by word of mouth and all,” he said Wednesday. “Word travels fast and can get distorted.
“I deleted because it was the right thing to do. I was mad at myself and how we lost and how I played. I felt that a lot of people believed my words were directed toward the fans in general. I don’t think the fans have turned on me. They want me to be successful so bad that they voice their frustration the wrong way when I’m not.”
Seattle’s Sherman continues to wait on appeal
RENTON, Wash. — Richard Sherman hung around the Seattle Seahawks locker room on Wednesday getting ready for practice as though it was any other week during the regular season.
But it wasn’t typical. Not with the looming decision about his appeal of a four-game suspension where no one seems to know a timetable for a decision that could have a significant impact on just how deep the hottest team in the NFC can go in the playoffs.
“It’s not weird at all. Either the truth is going to come out or it’s not,” Sherman said. “That’s pretty much all that it comes down to.”
It’s an uneasy situation for the Seahawks. They don’t want to go blindly into the season finale against St. Louis with the firm belief their star cornerback — who was surprisingly left off the NFC Pro Bowl roster — would be available.
Sherman practiced Wednesday, which could be his final practice until very late in the postseason or early in the 2013 season. Seattle coach Pete Carroll planned to rotate additional players in at Sherman’s spot in case the awaited decision on his appeal for violating the league’s policy on performance enhancing substances is upheld this week.
“We don’t know what’s going to happen, so we’re not going to go blindly into it. We’re going to get our guys in the rotation a little differently,” Carroll said. “It won’t change much though.
“He’s going to get some work today, and the other guys will get work as well, but we have it in our minds that we have to be preparing for that.”
Lewis activated by Ravens but won’t play Sunday
OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Linebacker Ray Lewis has been added to the Baltimore Ravens’ 53-man roster, but coach John Harbaugh says the 17-year veteran will not play Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals.
The 37-year-old was placed on the injured reserve-designated to return list after tearing his right triceps on Oct. 14. He returned to practice on Dec. 5, and in order for him to be eligible for the playoffs, the Ravens had to add him to the active roster by Wednesday.
Baltimore cleared room for Lewis by placing wide receiver LaQuan Williams on injured reserve with a leg injury.
Lewis has missed nine straight games. He was eligible to return to game action two weeks ago, but he has some atrophy in his right arm after having surgery on Oct. 17.
