Keller: Tebow will bring out best in Sanchez
New York Jets' Dustin Keller (81) celebrates his touchdown catch with quarterback Mark Sanchez during the second half of the NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills. (Oct. 3, 2010) Credit: AP
Dustin Keller said he was surprised when the Jets traded for Tim Tebow. But he also thinks the "friendly competition" he'll bring to the quarterback room will help bring out the best in Mark Sanchez.
"He's always handled that pressure best," Keller said Monday at the opening of an NFL pop-up store in midtown Manhattan. "When it comes that time of year, playoffs, whenever the pressure is on, that's when Mark plays his best football. In this scenario, he'll handle it just as well."
Keller said he has no idea how the Jets will use Tebow. Under the new CBA, players are not allowed to interact with coaches until April 16. "I'm anxious to find out," he said. One thing he does know is that Tebow will not be content to be Sanchez's understudy.
"Obviously, [Tebow] is not coming in thinking 'OK, I'm the backup quarterback,' " Keller said. "Every quarterback -- every position -- wants to be a starter. So he's going to push Mark and I think it's going to be a friendly competition there."
Keller, who is close with Sanchez, said he recently spoke with him about it.
"He's handled it very well," Keller said. "Those guys [in the front office] are always going to make the moves that are in the best interest of the team, and he understands the whole thing that a lot of people have been saying that a backup quarterback is going to push him. This may be that. Hopefully, it works out for the best."
Toomer picks Tebow. Former Giants wide receiver Amani Toomer said he thinks Tebow will be the Jets' starting quarterback by the end of the season. Toomer, now an analyst, said of Sanchez: "He's not a great quarterback. I don't think I'm at a stretch for saying that."
If he were a receiver on a team quarterbacked by Tebow, Toomer said he might be miffed, but added: "I think he has a lot of intangibles. If he can get his technique together throwing the ball, there's a lot of stuff that he does well, and if he can get that together, he can be a really good quarterback. Of course, that's a big if. He's still very, very young."
