Former Jets Great Marty Lyons Thinks Tebow is Best Athlete on the Team

Jul. 20, 2012; South Bend, IN, USA; Marty Lyons of Alabama waves after receiving his blazer at the Hall of Fame blazer Presentation at the College Football Hall of Fame. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-US PRESSWIRE

Marty Lyons, seen here at induction into the NCAA Hall of Fame, was a great Jets defensive lineman. Marty, the former member of the “Sack Exchange”, and now the radio color voice of the team, sat down with Eric Allen of www.newyorkjets.com, and discussed the team’s backup QB? Take a look at what he had to say about the quarterback.

“I think Tim could be a valuable asset to this team in the locker room and the way they’re going to utilize him on the playing field. He might be their best athlete overall,” Lyons said. “He’s big and strong, he’s fast, he’s hungry, he’s got a desire to win and he knows how to win. You can’t take away the past of everything he’s accomplished and just because at times he may struggle to throw the ball — he wins football games. I think that’s the big move.”

Marty likes the move for Tebow, and shared that feeling as well:

“The biggest personnel move that stands out is Tim Tebow,” he said. “I think Tim — coming from Denver — he has that it to him. You look at where he came from in Florida and the high school program (Nease HS), what he did for the University of Florida and how he won games out there in Denver. They weren’t pretty — nobody’s saying he can carry the team with his arm. But there is something about Tim Tebow that brings the whole team to a different level.”

Lyons actually had some thoughts to share about Mark Sanchez as well:

“I think the best thing Mark needs to do in Year 4 is be himself — don’t put too much pressure on yourself. One player is not going to win the game and one player is not going to lose the game,” Lyons said. “Go out and have some fun, have confidence in yourself, have confidence in the system and realize that you touch the ball more than anybody. You can make some things happen and you can go out there and lead your team by only completing a few passes. Give your team the best opportunity to win — don’t turn the ball over. But what Mark has to realize is take some of that personal pressure off yourself.”

Thanks to Randy for the quotes. Marty isn’t really breaking any ground here. As we have discussed at length, this working relationship will do a lot in teling us how the season will play out.