Resigned Jets coach: Having Tebow in New York was ‘a mess’, ‘a distraction’

New York Jets quarterback Tim Tebow (15) runs off the field behind running back Joe McKnight (25) after the game against the San Diego Chargers at MetLife Stadium. Chargers won 27-17. (Debby Wong-USA TODAY Sports)

Mike Westhoff spent 15 seasons as the special teams coach for the Miami Dolphins before taking on the same role with the New York Jets in 2001. He remained with the franchise until the team’s tumultuous and ultimately vastly disappointing 2012 season came to an end.

Now that he is free from the constraints of trying to maintain the party line and putting on a happy face, Westhoff has sounded off on everybody’s favorite backup quarterback, Tim Tebow, according to Helmet2Helmet.

Most members of the media and fans around the country began clamoring to see Tebow out on the field as soon as ‘The Chosen One’ landed in NYC. However, that simply did not happen, not at the beginning of the year, not really at any point in the middle of it and not towards the end, when Greg McElroy was given a start over the benched Mark Sanchez and over Tebow.

Those same media pundits and those same fans were confused by head coach Rex Ryan’s decision-making regarding Tebow. So was Westhoff, who called Tebow’s mere presence ‘a distraction’.

“It was a mess,” Westhoff said, via ProFootballTalk.com.  “It was an absolute mess.  You can say it however else you want, it was really a mess.  I was very, very disappointed.  There are things that Tim Tebow, as an NFL quarterback, he’s very limited in some things.  If you throw him in the middle of a drop-back passing offense, he will look very, very average at best.  But if you incorporate him in different facets of your offense, I think he can be a factor.  That’s what I felt we were going to do, but we never did it.”

Westhoff went on to talk about what everyone had been scratching their heads about all along. Tebow ended up really only seeing the field as the punt protector, but he had been expected to do so much more this season.

“[It was] supposed to only be a fraction, and it ended up being his only role … I don’t think anyone’s ever really answered that question,” Westhoff said.  “Why didn’t we do it?  I honestly don’t know.  I know we didn’t practice it.  We didn’t practice it in training camp.  We were gonna unveil it.  Well, I’m still waiting for the unveiling.”

You and us both, brother.

The new Jaguars GM made an announcement regarding Tebow’s return to his hometown.

What do you think Gamedayrs?