Santonio Holmes: Mark Sanchez was ‘rattled’ by the Tim Tebow trade

On the surface, the Tim Tebow trade did not appear to bother Mark Sanchez. Reporters fished for some sign of panic from the Jets starting quarterback all summer but were only treated to cliches like “whatever’s best for the team” and “we’re just trying to win games.” In fact, Sanchez even expressed confidence that Tebow was a backup for New York above all else. But according to Santonio Holmes, the move did indeed concern Sanchez.

“‘Wow, did this happen?'” Holmes said when asked about Sanchez’s initial reaction to the Tebow trade. “Those were the words that came out of his mouth. It came off that way. It kind of rattled him a little.”

Holmes also added that Rex Ryan immediately told him that the Jets were sticking with Sanchez, and the receiver then relayed that message to his starting quarterback. He also said that while it may have concerned Sanchez at first, he has moved past the issue.

“No question,” Holmes said. “I think he understands now is that his role is to be the New York Jets starting quarterback and Tebow is here to help us win as many games as he can help us win.”

Like the rest of us, Sanchez is a human. When one of the biggest celebrities in football joins your team (and plays the same position as you), it’s only natural to feel a bit concerned. Nobody wants to lose their job, and NFL quarterbacks are no different. That being said, it sounds like the Jets intend to use Tebow in mystery Wildcat situations and even on special teams. If Sanchez can become an efficient passer and limit mistakes, Tebow will remain nothing more than a backup and specialist.

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