Tannenbaum says Tebow was his idea (although he confuses the pronoun we)

[Scott Dierking]

Ex-Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum took full responsibility and confirmed that the Tim Tebow trade was his idea.

"It's just a trade that didn't work out," Tannenbaum said. "Ultimately that was my decision to trade for Tim. We thought there was a role for him. We thought it would give us a chance to make our offense more dynamic." Tannenbaum confirms that owner Woody Johnson was initially reluctant, but the trio, along with head coach Rex Ryan, pursued it and made the deal happen. Hopefully this puts the Tebow drama to bed. He's fully expected to be released by the Jets this offseason.

Source: ESPN New York

[SenorGato]

Does he realize he doesn't have to jump at bullets already aimed at him?

[SouthernJet]

Does he realize he doesn't have to jump at bullets already aimed at him?

covering for a owner is always healthy for future nfl employment.

[pointman]

He said it was ultimately his decision, yeah.. he's the GM. But still doesn't sound like it was his idea. Either way, doesn't matter.

[Scott Dierking]

He said it was ultimately his decision, yeah.. he's the GM. But still doesn't sound like it was his idea. Either way, doesn't matter.

Sounds like Rex was in on it too, with how much running QB's give his defense a problem.

Here, you have a coach who has a blind spot to what works against him, but can't make it work for him.

He is like the catcher that can't hit the curveball, so call for it all the time and is amazed when they get deposited in the bullpen.

[T0mShane]

Gotta be awkward doing press interviews while you're passing out resumes to anyone in a suit.

[Scott Dierking]

Gotta be awkward doing press interviews while you're passing out resumes to anyone in a suit.

It's just got to be awkward not being able to expense breakfast at the Roscoe Diner.

[sirlancemehlot]

Woody says he was reluctant. Rex didn't care to use the kid all season. This one falls squarely onto the shoulders of the recently unemployed Tannenschmuck.

[Skeet Ulrich]

Tannenbaum was on with Francesa down in NO. Good interview; there is no doubt in my mind that MT was feeding the Sports Pope insider info on the Jets.

[T0mShane]

Tannenbaum was on with Francesa down in NO. Good interview; there is no doubt in my mind that MT was feeding the Sports Pope insider info on the Jets.

He's a ****ing cockroach.

[JetsFanInDenver]

covering for a owner is always healthy for future nfl employment.

Thats true. Right now the best role Tanny can play is that of a punching bag.

[Ken Schroy]

Mr T owns it. But thats it for me, I dont need to hear about this nonsense anymore.

[#27TheDominator]

Sounds like Rex was in on it too, with how much running QB's give his defense a problem.

Here, you have a coach who has a blind spot to what works against him, but can't make it work for him.

He is like the catcher that can't hit the curveball, so call for it all the time and is amazed when they get deposited in the bullpen.

Sure. Rex Ryan defenses have a ton of trouble with ground and pound offenses. Makes perfect sense.

[Scott Dierking]

Sure. Rex Ryan defenses have a ton of trouble with ground and pound offenses. Makes perfect sense.

They sure did this year.

And a "pistol" read defense is very different than ground and pound.

[whodeawhodat]

meh, sounds like what we expected. Tannenbaum pitched it, Rex bit, and sporano could make it work. After the previous year sh!t show on offense Rex was probably more open to changes on offense and having a back up/another option not named Brunell sounded REALLY good at the time.

I wasnt on board with the fish cast off HC coming here but I am liking the MM direction @ OC. all we need is...wait for it....weapons!!! I have faith in MM drawing up a game plan, now he needs some ingredients to bake the cake.

[JFtoLong]

Ex-Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum took full responsibility and confirmed that the Tim Tebow trade was his idea.

"It's just a trade that didn't work out," Tannenbaum said. "Ultimately that was my decision to trade for Tim. We thought there was a role for him. We thought it would give us a chance to make our offense more dynamic." Tannenbaum confirms that owner Woody Johnson was initially reluctant, but the trio, along with head coach Rex Ryan, pursued it and made the deal happen. Hopefully this puts the Tebow drama to bed. He's fully expected to be released by the Jets this offseason.

Source: ESPN New York

Yeah, Im not buying this one bit.

Complete BS, Tanny is trying to make himself look good for a new job, hoping any owner will know the real deal and this will make him look good to other owners.

[neckdemon]

its funny how the guy can come out and tell you it was his idea and woody had to be persuaded and people still believe what they want to believe really happened. accept it....woody didn't force tebow on the team to sell psl's and jerseys.

[neckdemon]

Thats true. Right now the best role Tanny can play is that of a punching bag.

yep....th ebest chance he has at landing a new job is to continually remind people how much he sucked and convinced his prior team to make ridiculously stupid personnel decisions

[stoicsentry]

Funny how there is an established "truth" on this forum that is impervious to evidence. Someone decided that it was Johnson, therefore, it was him, no matter what anyone says or does..

LOL neckdemon I hadn't read your post, I think you said the same thing.

[unbanmadmike1]

How did this guy keep an NFL GM job? He's completely clueless.

[jetsjetsjetss]

conspiracy theories much?

[JetsFanInDenver]

yep....th ebest chance he has at landing a new job is to continually remind people how much he sucked and convinced his prior team to make ridiculously stupid personnel decisions

He has not been hired by any other organization. That's why you do not see any Sparano interviews. If he is hired by another organization from here on it will be based on the goodwill he establishes and the feedback that hiring organization receives from Woody not some damn radio interview. The wealthy do perceive royalty as a great attribute to possess..

[sirlancemehlot]

conspiracy theories much?

Right? I don't like woody and I'm not wild about Rex right now, but damn! Everybody says it was tannys idea and then tanny says it was his idea and yet...it's it tannys idea. Really? Sometimes reality is just what it appears to be. Nothing more.

[spjets]

Tanny will be on Mike and Mike this morning

[T0mShane]

Right? I don't like woody and I'm not wild about Rex right now, but damn! Everybody says it was tannys idea and then tanny says it was his idea and yet...it's it tannys idea. Really? Sometimes reality is just what it appears to be. Nothing more.

There is nooooooooooooo fuuuuuuuuuuucking wayyyyyyyyy that Boy Abacus single-handedly conceived of and executed a trade for the most polarizing player in the sport. Tannenbaum sucked at his job, but he's not stupid. He's not sticking his own neck out like that when he can easily stick someone else under the guillotine. When he says "ultimately, it was my call," all he's doing is handing out the old management cliche.

[F.Chowds]

In his first interview since being fired at the end of the season, Tannenbaum took responsibility for the trade. He acknowledged it was a failure, but he expressed no regrets.

"I'm disappointed it didn't work out, just like I'm disappointed when certain draft choices don't work out," Tannenbaum told ESPNNewYork.com Tuesday. "We put in a lot of time and effort. We had a rationale for it. At the end of the day, it didn't go as we had planned."

That's an understatement. Tebow was used sparingly and his presence became a season-long distraction for the Jets, who finished 6-10. Just recently, retired special-teams coach Mike Westhoff called the Tebow situation "an absolute mess." Tannenbaum refused to go that far.

"It's just a trade that didn't work out," he said. "Each year, we'll make 200-plus transactions. Some worked out, some didn't."

Tannenbaum confirmed he hatched the idea to pursue Tebow, who became expendable when the Denver Broncos signed Peyton Manning last March.

Initially, owner Woody Johnson was thought to be behind the move, hoping to generate publicity, but he was initially reluctant, ESPNNewYork.com reported last week.

"Once we met on it and talked about it, ultimately that was my decision to trade for Tim," Tannenbaum said. Asked if he had to convince Johnson, Tannenbaum said, "I had a great working relationship with both Woody and Rex (Ryan). Anytime we'd make a decision on something like this, we'd talk about it, discuss the pros and cons and ultimately it was my decision. I've always said that.

"For seven years, I had final say on everything. That was an honor and a privilege and a responsibility I totally embraced -- whether it was trading for Tim Tebow or trading up forDarrelle Revis or trading for Brett Favre and everything in between. Ultimately, I had the final say on things."

Tannenbaum explained his rationale for making such a controversial trade.

The oft-told story is that he came up with the idea last March while sitting with Ryan at Newark Airport, eating Ben & Jerry's ice cream and waiting for their flight to the North Carolina Pro Day. That's when the Manning-to-Denver rumblings were getting louder.

In truth, Tannenbaum and Ryan already had been discussing the idea of adding a running quarterback to the offense. They wanted to find a replacement for Brad Smith, who ran the Wildcat through 2010.

Tannenbaum also recalled philosophical conversations with Ryan, who always remarked how difficult it was for him as a defensive-minded coach to contain running quarterbacks. Plus, they had just hired a coordinator, Tony Sparano, who was familiar with the Wildcat.

“

In Tannenbaum's mind, "It all seemed to make sense," right down to the compensation. They surrendered a fourth-round pick for Tebow, the same round in which they drafted Smith in 2006.

"We thought there was a role for him," said Tannenbaum, speaking publicly for the first time in nearly two months. "Working with Rex every day, and seeing the way the league has evolved with the ball being in the quarterback's hands and making plays with your feet, we thought it would give us a chance to make our offense more dynamic. It just didn't work out that way."

Tebow participated in only 75 offensive plays, although that can't be blamed on Tannenbaum. Sparano and Tebow didn't see eye to eye, and that disconnect likely contributed to his lack of playing time.

From Day 1, Tebow was a constant storyline that eventually chafed teammates and coaches. It blew up late in the season when Mark Sanchez was benched in favor of third-stringer Greg McElroy, a snub that upset Tebow so much that he told Ryan he no longer wanted to be used in the Wildcat.

Clearly, the Jets mismanaged the enormity of Tebow-mania, fueling it at times with their own words and actions. "I think we all knew the popularity Tim brought to the organization," Tannenbaum said. "We just felt confident we had the infrastructure to deal with it."

So why did Tebow fail?

"Some moves work out, some don't," said Tannenbaum, refusing to give specifics. "Maybe, if we had more success on offense, it would've allowed more plays for everybody and it would've meant more opportunities for Tim."

Tebow remains on the Jets' roster -- he's signed through 2014 -- but new GM John Idzik is expected to trade or release him.

Tannenbaum also has been criticized for extending Sanchez's contract last March. At the time, he still had two years left on his rookie deal, but he received a three-year extension, including an $8.25 million guarantee for 2013, meaning they're stuck with him despite a poor season.

"We thought we were getting cost certainty for a guy we thought would be our quarterback for years to come," Tannenbaum said. "That was our thinking when we did it. Obviously, based on this year, it hasn't worked out that way yet. But I think Mark's career is far from over."

Tannenbaum said he harbors no bitterness toward the Jets even though he was fired only two years removed from back-to-back appearances in the AFC Championship Game. He took the fall for the 6-10 season, yet Ryan was spared. Tannenbaum said he has no problem with that.

"Ultimately, I report to Woody. It was his decision to make," he said. "I was disappointed, but I totally understood it. I had final say and authority on the football team. We fell short this year, and that's what happens when you fall short

[Bugg]

On FAN right now. "Process".

[sirlancemehlot]

There is nooooooooooooo fuuuuuuuuuuucking wayyyyyyyyy that Boy Abacus single-handedly conceived of and executed a trade for the most polarizing player in the sport. Tannenbaum sucked at his job, but he's not stupid. He's not sticking his own neck out like that when he can easily stick someone else under the guillotine. When he says "ultimately, it was my call," all he's doing is handing out the old management cliche.

I dunnno. I think Tanny is a geek who tasted the spotlight and fell in love with it. Brett Favre brought him notoriety, Plaxico Burress brought him notoriety, and the Tebow trade was his crown jewel...making a smug, wormy little accountant a league-wide star. Of course not a single one of those big transactions did anything to help the team...but boy did it give "Trader Mike" a name. It's psychology, Tom. Psychology.

[Scott Dierking]

I dunnno. I think Tanny is a geek who tasted the spotlight and fell in love with it. Brett Favre brought him notoriety, Plaxico Burress brought him notoriety, and the Tebow trade was his crown jewel...making a smug, wormy little accountant a league-wide star. Of course not a single one of those big transactions did anything to help the team...but boy did it give "Trader Mike" a name. It's psychology, Tom. Psychology.

Tannenbaum, and 75% of GM's in this league are not household names, except the deepest of the sport's geeks.

End of the day, a GM is going to make moves that he thinks makes the team better, not for a day of glory in the news. The larger glory is in having the team succeed, and I would venture that is what any GM is looking to do.

I believe there is some credibility in the thought that "Rex has a hard time defending scat QB's", we must get one. Totally fits Rex's neanderthal thinking in modern football.

[Bugg]

I dunnno. I think Tanny is a geek who tasted the spotlight and fell in love with it. Brett Favre brought him notoriety, Plaxico Burress brought him notoriety, and the Tebow trade was his crown jewel...making a smug, wormy little accountant a league-wide star. Of course not a single one of those big transactions did anything to help the team...but boy did it give "Trader Mike" a name. It's psychology, Tom. Psychology.

he did not make the Tebow trade on his own. Not remotely plausible. We know Richie Rich LOVES the spotlight. it has Johnson's fingerprints all over it.

[slats]

For seven years, I had final say on everything. That was an honor and a privilege and a responsibility I totally embraced -- whether it was trading for Tim Tebow or trading up forDarrelle Revis or trading for Brett Favre and everything in between. Ultimately, I had the final say on things.

This contradicts the Rex is the root cause of every problem on the roster caucus.

Tannenbaum said he harbors no bitterness toward the Jets even though he was fired only two years removed from back-to-back appearances in the AFC Championship Game. He took the fall for the 6-10 season, yet Ryan was spared. Tannenbaum said he has no problem with that.

Ultimately, I report to Woody. It was his decision to make," he said. "I was disappointed, but I totally understood it. I had final say and authority on the football team. We fell short this year, and that's what happens when you fall short.

I really hope he wasn't fired for going 6-10. 6-10 happens, especially when you lose maybe your two best players to injury.

I hope he was fired because over the course of seven years at the helm he never demonstrated any sort of plan for putting a team together. That every move seemed to be separate from every other move. I hope he was fired for trading away too many picks, and overpaying the picks he decided to keep. I hope he was fired for a salary cap structure that has an inside linebacker and a center as two of the team's highest paid players.

This Idzik dude has a big job on his hands.

[Scott Dierking]

This contradicts the Rex is the root cause of every problem on the roster caucus.

I really hope he wasn't fired for going 6-10. 6-10 happens, especially when you lose maybe your two best players to injury.

I hope he was fired because over the course of seven years at the helm he never demonstrated any sort of plan for putting a team together. That every move seemed to be separate from every other move. I hope he was fired for trading away too many picks, and overpaying the picks he decided to keep. I hope he was fired for a salary cap structure that has an inside linebacker and a center as two of the team's highest paid players.

This Idzik dude has a big job on his hands.

GM's that have those problems and finish 10-6 stay on.

Tannenbaum said that the process of picking players was "committeeish" but he had final say. The same thing I would expect any GM to say, who wants another position. Who is going to hire someone who doesn't have enough backbone to have conviction and say he is the decision maker?

Ooops.

[unbanmadmike1]

When Tannenbaum used QB Wins to justify the Sanchez contract it gave me douchechills. The incompetence is stunning.

[#27TheDominator]

This contradicts the Rex is the root cause of every problem on the roster caucus.

I really hope he wasn't fired for going 6-10. 6-10 happens, especially when you lose maybe your two best players to injury.

I hope he was fired because over the course of seven years at the helm he never demonstrated any sort of plan for putting a team together. That every move seemed to be separate from every other move. I hope he was fired for trading away too many picks, and overpaying the picks he decided to keep. I hope he was fired for a salary cap structure that has an inside linebacker and a center as two of the team's highest paid players.

This Idzik dude has a big job on his hands.

I haven't really studied it, but I remember reading some pieces by Jason on the topic. He considered the Jets window to be 2010-2013 and then they'd be able to reload. I think the GM will be in pretty good shape for 2014 if he doesn't do a half-assed job of trying to add one or two wins this year at the cost of one or two wins next year. I don't think it's that big a job. More like starting with a fairly clean slate- which can be a big job, but it's nothing like being in the 2013 handcuffs.

[Scott Dierking]

I haven't really studied it, but I remember reading some pieces by Jason on the topic. He considered the Jets window to be 2010-2013 and then they'd be able to reload. I think the GM will be in pretty good shape for 2014 if he doesn't do a half-assed job of trying to add one or two wins this year at the cost of one or two wins next year. I don't think it's that big a job. More like starting with a fairly clean slate- which can be a big job, but it's nothing like being in the 2013 handcuffs.

So, in other words, don't give in to the coach who is trying to save his job short term.