Jets QB David Garrard Says He Is Leaving the Team

NFL Via Getty Images(NEW YORK) --  After just two months with the team, quarterback David Garrard is leaving the New York Jets because of swelling in his knee.

"Having to call it quits. My knee is not holding up. Continuing to swell after practices. Limiting what I can do," Garrard wrote in a text message to SiriusXM radio host Adam Schein on Wednesday.

The 35-year-old Garrard was signed by the Jets in March to compete with Mark Sanchez.  He has not played in an NFL game in over two years due to various injuries but was looking forward to the opportunity to win the starting job.

The Jets are now down to four quarterbacks on the roster.  They drafted Geno Smith in the second round of the NFL draft to compete with Sanchez.  Greg McElroy and Matt Simms are there as well and are looking to compete.  The team released Tim Tebow two weeks ago.

"This will be a bona fide quarterback competition. Period," new offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg said on a conference call with season-ticket holders. "I'm hoping that somebody will rise to the top quicker rather than later."

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Jets' Mark Sanchez Know He Has to Fight to Keep His Starting Job

Ronald C. Modra/Sports Imagery/Getty Images(NEW YORK) -- Unlike in year's past, New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez is aware that the starting job will not be handed to him this offseason.

Coming off a 6-10 season in 2012, no one on the Jets is assured a starting job, including Sanchez. After experiencing playoff success his first two seasons in the NFL, people have cooled on Sanchez after two disappointing seasons in 2011 and 2012. Sanchez knows he'll have to work to keep his starting job.

"I know Mr. Idzik and [coach] Rex [Ryan] are big on competition, and that was really the theme heading into this year -- and I completely understand that," Sanchez told reporters on Monday.

"I think it'll bring out the best in everyone on the team," he added. "Everyone has to compete for their spot and I totally respect that. As far as I'm concerned, I'm preparing to play well for this team and do everything in my control to be the best quarterback on the roster."

Sanchez will compete with Tim Tebow, Greg McIlroy and David Garrard for the starting job. The 26-year-old has regressed over the past two seasons. Over the course of the 2011 and 2012 seasons, Sanchez has committed 52 turnovers.

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Tim Tebow Never Asked Out of Wildcat

Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images(FLORHAM PARK, N.J.) -- There's more drama in Jets land.  As the team prepares for their final game of the season on Sunday against the Buffalo Bills, backup quarterback Tim Tebow has finally spoken out about the way he's been used this season.

Tebow says he never asked out of running the wildcat and would never not do anything he was asked to help the team out.

"For people to not know the situation and to bash your character and say you're a phony, you're a fake and you're a hypocrite, I think that's what's disappointing and that's what's frustrating," he said. "It's a football game. That's one thing, if you're good or bad at football, but your character and integrity, that's who you are as a man."

Tebow says all he ever wanted to get a chance to be quarterback this season.

"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.  [Jets head coach Rex Ryan] knows that and everybody on this team knows I would never not do something if I was asked."

Mark Sanchez, who was benched last weekend, will get the start against the Bills, after the Jets announced on Thursday that Greg McElroy has a concussion.

"I'm not going to speak on that stuff," said Sanchez on Tebow's character.  "We're ready for Buffalo and that's our goal this week, that's all we're talking about."

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Sources: Jets Plan to Part Ways with Tim Tebow After Season

Doug Pensinger/Getty Images(NEW YORK) --  New York Jets quarterback Tim Tebow has been frustrated with his role throughout the entire season, but only publicly admitted it this week.

Sources say that Tebow will seek to play somewhere else next season and that the Jets appear willing to to accommodate his wishes via a trade or release.

With the Jets at 6-8 and out of the playoff hunt, Tebow was upset he was passed over for the starting-quarterback job after Mark Sanchez was benched.

Head coach Rex Ryan opted to go with unproven backup Greg McElroy for the final two games.  McElroy led the Jets to a win over the Arizona Cardinals earlier this season after replacing Sanchez in the third quarter.

When asked if he sees himself returning to the Jets next year, Tebow said:  "I'm not sure.  It's something we'll talk about after the season."

Tebow is signed through the 2014 season.

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Joe Namath: Sanchez Still Has a Future in NFL

Ronald C. Modra/Sports Imagery/Getty Images(NEW YORK) -- The New York Jets sealed the fate of Mark Sanchez on Tuesday by announcing he would be benched for the remainder of the season. 

The team handed the reigns over to third-string quarterback Greg McElroy, passing over backup quarterback and international sensation Tim Tebow.

Sanchez and the Jets were eliminated from the playoffs on Monday night after their loss to the Titans.

The Jets will host the San Diego Chargers on Sunday, but Jets Hall of Fame quarterback and only man to bring a Super Bowl championship to the team, Joe Namath doesn’t think Sanchez is the only person to blame.

"I don’t think he’s had the right kind of coaching, I don’t think he’s had the right kind of help offensively," Namath told ESPN Radio on Wednesday.  "It is a team game."

Sanchez’ numbers don’t lie though, having only completed 55 percent of his passes, has thrown 17 interceptions, fumbled 12 times, and has only thrown for 13 touchdowns with a quarterback rating of 25.0.

"I know Mark’s looked really bad these last several games and has played poorly, but I do believe he’s not as bad a quarterback as he’s made out to be or as he’s played these last few games," Broadway Joe said.

So is this the end of the line for Sanchez in New York or as a starting quarterback in the NFL?

"He does have a future in the NFL, with the Jets, I don’t see it," the 1969 Super Bowl champion said.  "I think Mark deserves better at this stage, better in a sense that he’s dealt a better hand."

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New York Jets Bench Sanchez, Name McElroy Starting Quarterback

Jim McIsaac/Getty Images(NEW YORK) -- New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan named third-string quarterback Greg McElroy their starter for this Sunday’s game against the San Diego Chargers, sending Mark Sanchez to the bench.

The Jets were eliminated from playoff contention this past Monday night by the Tennessee Titans after Sanchez turned the ball over five times.

Ryan chose to go with McElroy, who led the Jets to a 7-6 victory over Arizona in Week 13, instead of backup quarterback Tim Tebow.

“After thinking about it, where the team is now, I think it’s best for our team and for this game,” said Ryan on teleconference with reporters Tuesday.

Sanchez leads the NFL in turnovers with 24, including 17 interceptions.

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Titans Force Turnovers, Beat Jets

Andy Lyons/Getty Images(NASHVILLE, Tenn.) -- It has been long known that the Tennessee Titans were not going to the playoffs. Now the New York Jets are in that group.

Mark Sanchez threw four interceptions, Chris Johnson broke a 94-yard touchdown run and the Titans defeated the Jets 14-10 on Monday night to knock New York out of the playoffs.

"Obviously, it's a devastating loss, out of the playoffs, and it hurts beyond belief," Jets coach Rex Ryan said. "I think the thing that really hurts the most is we've got no one to blame but ourselves."

New York (6-8) took over at the Titan's 25 yard line after a shanked punt with a under a minute to, but Sanchez fumbled away for the Jet's fifth turnover to seal the game. Sanchez went 13 of 28 with the four picks and one touchdown. 

For the Titans (5-9), they rode Johnson to a victory. His 94-yard scamper in the second quarter was the longest run in the NFL since 2006.

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Joe Namath Discusses Mark Sanchez

Ronald C. Modra/Sports Imagery/Getty Images(NEW YORK) -- Even with Jets head coach Rex Ryan giving Mark Sanchez the start on Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars, the team should still be concerned.

Hall of Fame quarterback and the only person to lead the Jets to a Super Bowl victory, Joe Namath believes Sanchez should have been given another shot, but warned there could be the same result, if Jacksonville jumps in front early.

"Whenever things have gone wrong, it looks like he gets a low that is not conducive to firing up the rest of the guys and getting back to work," Namath said on The Herd on ESPN Radio on Thursday.

Tim Tebow will be returning home on Sunday, but it looks like he’ll be watching from the sidelines as his two fractured ribs continue to heal.  If that is the case, Greg McElroy will be in the same position he was last week against the Cardinals, if things go wrong with Sanchez.

"He’s got the mind and the calmness, and competitiveness to be a successful NFL quarterback," said Namath on McElroy’s skills.  "He can grasp any offense faster than most of the guys and his decision making is superb."

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Rex Ryan Names Mark Sanchez Starter for Sunday

Ronald C. Modra/Sports Imagery/Getty Images(FLORHAM PARK, N.J.) -- Mark Sanchez still gives the Jets the best chance to win, according to Jets head coach Rex Ryan, who announced Wednesday that Sanchez will get the start against the Jaguars on Sunday.

Two days after being benched in the Jets 7-6 win over the Cardinals, Sanchez was told he’d get a shot at redeeming himself by Ryan.

“It was a decision that I feel great about,” said Ryan on Wednesday.  “I had a lot of opinions; I had conversation with a lot of different people.  At the end it’s my decision and I’m definitely comfortable with the decision.”

Sanchez has $8.25 million in guaranteed money for 2013 and still has support within the organization.

Ryan would not say who the backup quarterback would be as Tim Tebow still continues to recover from a rib injury.  Greg McElroy led the team to victory after Sanchez was benched on Sunday.

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Rex Ryan Undecided About Starter for Sunday

avid Dermer/Diamond Images/Getty Images(FLORHAM PARK, N.J.) -- From Tebow mania, to Mark Sanchez being benched on Sunday, and Greg Elroy pulling out a 7-6 victory over the Cardinals, the Jets have had a circus of a season at the quarterback position.

Jets head coach Rex Ryan was still undecided on Monday when asked who the starter would be against Jacksonville.

"I've got three quarterbacks I feel good about," Ryan said. "I think we're in a lot better situation than probably a lot of teams."

"I just want to make sure I get all the facts and everything else.  It's a big decision. The decision has to be made (based) on what I think gives us the best opportunity to beat Jacksonville."

Sanchez has been the starter since being drafted fifth overall in 2009, but was ineffective against the Cardinals on Sunday, coming off an embarrassing 49-19 loss to the Patriots at home on Thanksgiving.

Tebow is still recovering from a rib injury, which should make the decision down to either McElroy or Sanchez with the Jets on the road against the Jaguars.

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