Bill Parcells Talks Tim Tebow and the Jets

Aug 4, 2012; Canton, OH, USA; Curtis Martin (left) and former coach Bill Parcells (right) pose with his bust at the 2012 Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement at Fawcett Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-US PRESSWIRE

Bill Parcells spent his weekend at the Pro Football Hall of Fame, presenting the great Curtis Martin for induction. He took some time out of his weekend to speak to Steve Serby of the NY Post about many things NFL related. One topic, was the Jets trade for Tim Tebow. Here is what he had to say, along with Serby’s questions:

Q: Tim Tebow and Mark Sanchez. Can the Jets make it work?

A: Oh yeah. I thought [Tebow] was a pretty good acquisition. … I think he provides a dimension that’s something to be concerned with.

Q: But he can’t throw the ball.

A: You sound like one of the coaches I used to have telling me what the guy can’t do. I don’t want to hear it. Tell me what the guy does well and let’s try to create something that allows him to flourish. I had a receiver coach one time … “This guy can’t run the delay. This guy can’t run a crosser.” Let’s not run him on a delay, or let’s not run him on a crosser. Let’s run him on what he can run ’cause he’s fast and he can catch the ball. … If I had Tim Tebow, that’s what I would do. I would try to do what he does, which I believe I know what he does.

Q: And what he does is?

A: Well, he runs that ride-and-decide, he can do that well. And then, a little play-action off that, keep it simple. … You know you got an extra blocker in the game when he’s in there, that helps your offense in some aspects.

Q: How does that impact your starting quarterback when he comes out of a game?

A: It’s not the same thing as putting a quarterback in to replace you’re starting quarterback. That’s not what they’re doing if they do that. I don’t know what they’re gonna do — make sure you put that in ’cause I haven’t talked to anybody there. You’re just utilizing a player’s skill to try to benefit their team. The player, Sanchez, he should be for that. If it helps‘em win, let’s do it. If it doesn’t help us win, let’s not do it.

Q: The dynamic of fans chanting for the most popular backup quarterback in NFL history if Sanchez does something dumb?

A: Listen, you saw that last year with Denver, I saw it, everybody saw it and … the result was pretty good when he got in there. Now, why is he a Jet? I don’t know why. But quite apparently, they think they can use this guy … for something. So, I’m pretty sure they didn’t bring him in there to watch, so he’s gonna play. Now everybody’s in a frenzy, well how’s he gonna do? The media dwells mostly on negativity. They want to know how it’s gonna affect Sanchez. Well, I don’t think it’s gonna affect him at all if it’s within the structure of the things that Tebow can do well. If they just let him do that, then that’s smart.

Q: I’m guessing that if Sanchez doesn’t have enough mental toughness to block out the fans, then he’s not the right guy.

A: I don’t look at it like that. I don’t look at a problem and put variables in there that don’t affect it. So the fans, with all due respect, they don’t affect the decisions I would make as a coach.

Q: But they could affect a starting quarterback if he isn’t mentally tough enough.

A: I think you’re headed down the wrong track in this respect. I think they know what they’re gonna do or attempt to do with Tebow. I think it’s been explained to Sanchez, and I think that’s what they’re gonna try to do.

Q: Your thoughts on Sanchez?

A: He’s got his team to the conference championship twice. Last year it was a little different. It wasn’t just him. There’s other guys. So they gotta try to regroup just a little bit, which they’re trying to do, and I think he’ll do OK.

It doesn’t get much better than listening to Bill Parcells talk football. It’s his passion, and it’s just wonderful to listen to him talk. He gives an interesting perspective on the trade. Hopefully, he is right.