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Mike Westhoff Rips Jets Over Tebow (MERGED)


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one of the most respected position coaches in the NFL burying Rex....fun times

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — Tell us how you really feel, Mike.

Mike Westhoff, the recently retired Jets special teams coach, sounded off Friday on New York’s use of backup quarterback Tim Tebow.

“It was a mess,” Westhoff told WQAM radio in Miami. “It was an absolute mess. You can say however else you want, it was really a mess. I was very, very disappointed.”

Westhoff said he expected to see Tebow lined up as an all-threat running back, fullback, tight end and quarterback.

He ended up serving as a part-time — if you could call it that — quarterback and punt protector on special teams. Westhoff said Tebow’s role on his unit was “really only going to be like 1 percent.”

“Most of the stuff he did for me, he did outstanding. But it was supposed to only be a fraction — and it ended up being his only role,” Westhoff said. “That was very disappointing.”

Tebow played in 12 games for the Jets in 2012, completing six of eight passes for 39 yards. He also carried the ball 32 times for 102 yards. He didn’t score a touchdown.

Offensive coordinator Tony Sparano was fired after the season for a hapless offense that never fully incorporated Tebow. His scheme certainly never came close to what was described by Westhoff.

“I don’t think anybody’s ever answered that question. Why didn’t we do it?” said Westhoff. “I honestly don’t know. I know we didn’t practice it, we didn’t practice it in training camp.

“We were going to unveil it. Well, I’m still waiting for the unveiling.”

Westhoff said it remains “a possibility” that he’d return to the NFL.

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http://blogs.palmbeachpost.com/thedailydolphin/2013/01/11/mike-westhoff-on-the-new-york-jets-use-of-tim-tebow-it-was-an-absolute-mess/

Mike Westhoff on the New York Jets’ use of Tim Tebow: ‘It was an absolute mess’

by Ben Volin

This isn’t a Dolphins item per se, but does have a lot of Florida connections: Tim Tebow, the rival Jets and now-retired special teams coach Mike Westhoff, who just retired after 27 years as an NFL special teams coordinator (15 with Miami, the last 12 with the Jets).

Westhoff was a guest Friday morning on 560 WQAM with Joe Rose, and didn’t hold back when asked about the Jets’ decision not to play Tebow much this year and the circus-like atmosphere that surrounded the team.

“It was an absolute mess,” said Westhoff, 65. “It was a distraction and really a shame, because that’s a hard-working young man.”

The Jets became the NFL’s biggest story when they traded for Tebow in March, and many people believed he would serve as a jack-of-all-trades weapon at tight end, H-back and, of course, Wildcat quarterback, particularly with Tony Sparano serving as offensive coordinator.

Westhoff believed the Jets would use Tebow in that fashion, too, but it never happened. Tebow threw just eight passes all season and was leap-frogged by Greg McElroy when Mark Sanchez missed a game due to injury. Tebow also ran just 32 times for 102 yards and zero touchdowns, and was used sparingly out of the Wildcat.

“Tim Tebow, as an NFL quarterback, he’s very limited in some things, and if you throw him right in the middle of a drop-back passing offense, he will look very, very average at best,” Westhoff said. “But if you incorporate him in different facets of your offense, I think he can be a factor. That’s what I felt we were going to do, but we never did it.”

“To be honest, I don’t think anybody’s really answered that question – why didn’t we do it? I honestly don’t know. I know we didn’t practice it, we didn’t practice it in training camp. We were going to unveil it – well, I’m still waiting for the unveiling.”

Tebow instead was relegated to special teams duty, used mostly as the “punt protector,” but Westhoff said Tebow only became a full-time special teams player when Eric Smith suffered a knee injury.

“My role with (Tebow) was really only to be 1 percent. That’s all I was thinking. Then when Eric Smith was hurt, I had to use him full time,” Westhoff said. “Most of the stuff he did for me was outstanding. But it was supposed to only be a fraction, (and) it ended up being his only role.”

Westhoff said Tebow was frustrated and downcast by the end of the season. The Jets are expected to release him this offseason if they cannot find a trading partner.

“It was a shame to see when you saw a demeanor change – you saw that swagger come out of him a little bit and that was very disheartening to see that,” Westhoff said. “I would just encourage him to keep his head up and that his opportunity would come, and a few things like that.”

Kimberley A. Martin@KMart_LI

"When ur paying a handful of guys 40% of ur salary cap, what the hell are u going to do with the rest of them?" - Westhoff on @WQAM #nyj

Followed by Mike Greenberg and 2 others

Rich Cimini@RichCimini

Westhoff: After 2010, the "burden was thrust on Mark (Sanchez) + that's too much for him ... But it's more than MS's fault, believe me."

Albert Breer@AlbertBreer

Westy's the best ... RT @MMehtaNYDN: More Westhoff on why Jets got Tebow: "I honestly don’t know.... I’m still waiting for the unveiling"

Conor Orr@ConorTOrr

Westhoff calls out #Jets D. Says they were "suspect" in middle field. Says special teams would pin tms inside 20, D would let them up to 50.

Conor Orr@ConorTOrr

Westhoff said you could see a "demeanor change" and a loss of "swagger" from Tim Tebow. #nyj

Kimberly Jones@KimJonesSports

Preach. RT @RichCimini: Mike Westhoff on WQAM radio today. Says #Jets use of Tebow was "an absolute mess... a distraction & really a shame."

Alex Marvez@alexmarvez

The aforementioned mentioned Mike Westhoff interview on the @JoeRoseShow is now posted at http://wqam.com

Ian O'Connor@Ian_OConnor

Translation of Mike Westhoff interview basically reads like this: "Even I would have fired Rex after this disaster." #Jets

Kimberley A. Martin@KMart_LI

Westhy said Sparano's very quiet & was always poring over gm tape in his office. "I don't see him much...I don't even kno when he eats" #nyj

Kimberley A. Martin@KMart_LI

Westy said Sanchez was "a manageable QB" on a gd fball tm during AFC title runs. But shouldering the "burden alone "was too much" #nyj

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Tim Tebow usage was an 'absolute mess' says former Jets coach Mike Westhoff

Mike Westhoff was critical of all the Jets coordinators from 2012, as well as the GM. (Photo by US Presswire)

By Conor Orr/The Star-LedgerThe Star-Ledger

Mike Westhoff, the brash, opinionated former special teams coordinator with the Jets, said the team's usage of Tim Tebow was an "absolute mess" in 2012.

Speaking on WQAM this morning, Westhoff, who plans to have a second career as a television analyst, became the first coach to speak openly about how disjointed the team's plans were regarding Tebow.

"It was a mess, it was an absolute mess. You can say whatever you want but I was very, very disappointed."

He added: "There are things with Tim Tebow as an NFL quarterback -- he's very limited in some things. If you throw him right in the middle of a drop back passing offense he will look very, very average at best, but if you incorporate him into different facets of your offense, I think he can be a factor. That's what I felt like we were going to do."

Westhoff said he expected Tebow to be used in a variety of different roles but said that the Jets never even practiced such wrinkles in the offense, even during the supposed "secret" Cortland practices.

"That was very disappointing the way it came out," Westhoff said. "I don't think anyone has ever answered that question. Why didn't we do it? I know we didn't practice it. We didn't practice it in training camp. We were going to unveil it. Well, I'm still waiting for the unveiling.

"It was a distraction and really a shame because that's a hard-working young man."

Westhoff's criticism of the team went down the line this morning and didn't spare anyone.

On the cap situation, an implication of former GM Mike Tannenbaum: "Well when you're paying a handful of guys 40 percent of your salary cap, what the hell are you going to do with the rest of them?"

On Mark Sanchez: "I believe Mark was a manageable quarterback on a good football team," Westhoff said. "We had a good defense, I had a good group on teams, we ran the ball well, we had a handful of receivers who could make big plays and Mark was thrown into those ingredients...

"Then all of a sudden the burden was thrust on Mark and that's just too much for him in my opinion. I think a whole offense needs to be designed around Mark. You can say that it was, but there are some things he just doesn't do as well...plus you still need a very good running game and special teams to complement him. And we lost that, we all lost that."

On Mike Pettine and the Jets defense: "Part of our defense, and against certain people, there were some weaknesses and people know that. On our kicking team, we led the league in tackles inside the 20, so people started back in the hole most of the time.

"But what would happen, when our defense played the long field, they were a little suspect in the middle and people drove the ball up to midfield on us. On a shorter field, our defense, because of our really good corner play, constricted and played really well and hold people. But then they would punt us and Mark Sanchez would start on the 10-yard line.' There's plenty of blame to go around."

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There goes that theory that Tebow stunk in practice. More like Rex and Tony never wanted the guy and never planned on using him.

I'm not a Tebow fan, but damn, it makes it hard for anybody to want to come to the Jets as long as Rex is around.

It also kind of means a new GM can't do anything this year as long as Rex is around. Bring in some young QB, and if Rex doesn't like him or want him, he'll never play. Bring in some young players and Rex doesn't like them or want them, they'll never play. Yeah makes it the place to be for some up and coming GM. Makes it the place to be for some assistant coaches.

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Transparent attempt to create some controversy in order to drum up interest in a career in media. At one point he said "here.. here's another one" as if his objective was to get out as many controversial topics in a short span as he could.

Woody did it, LT did it, now Mike is doing it.

Most of his griping was surrounding an OC who was fired and a QB who will be cut.

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Transparent attempt to create some controversy in order to drum up interest in a career in media. At one point he said "here.. here's another one" as if his objective was to get out as many controversial topics in a short span as he could.

Woody did it, LT did it, now Mike is doing it.

Most of his griping was surrounding an OC who was fired and a QB who will be cut.

So careers in media are made by complaining? Interesting

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So careers in media are made by complaining? Interesting

Have you not watched ESPN? Have you not watched CNN, MSNBC, FOX, every other damn media outlet in the country?

It's all about complaining. It's all about BS drama that nobody should really care about, but somehow do.

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So networks read threads on message boards? And that is how future talent is discovered?

This is VERY interesting. More please

hmm. You've gone from a level headed hater to an irrational one.

not gonna lie.. I kinda like it.

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So networks read threads on message boards? And that is how future talent is discovered?

This is VERY interesting. More please

Networks probably don't read a thread on Jetsnation about Westoff. But networks read what people say on twitter and facebook.

So if Westoff makes enough noise, and plenty of people on twitter make it a trend, networks do listen.

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I hope we get better as an Organisation, and get back to merely being the laughing stock of the NFL. Rather than the ridicule of the NFL. No GM. all the Top candidates have other jobs. A Buffoon HC who spoke about "Ground and pound" and now wants to be Bill Walsh. "A Dangerous Team" that can attack you from all angles. He can't be talking about the 2013 Jets. our O won't scare a Pop Warner outfit (or a CFL one) for that matter.

Deluded and fecking embarrassing! - I never thought I'd see the day I would be Embarrassed to wear the Green and White not even with Kotite but Iam now. Least then we were just a bad Team.

First Mike Pettine, jumps ship for the Bills, and now Westoff blasts the whole set up. I wish Woody would just feck off and we could get a real owner!

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Transparent attempt to create some controversy in order to drum up interest in a career in media. At one point he said "here.. here's another one" as if his objective was to get out as many controversial topics in a short span as he could.

Woody did it, LT did it, now Mike is doing it.

Most of his griping was surrounding an OC who was fired and a QB who will be cut.

So now we're discrediting people before they take a job in the media? How long before we get into discrediting ultrasounds of possible future media babies?

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There goes that theory that Tebow stunk in practice. More like Rex and Tony never wanted the guy and never planned on using him. I'm not a Tebow fan, but damn, it makes it hard for anybody to want to come to the Jets as long as Rex is around.

How the F did you come to this conclusions from this article? lmfao

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