Rex Ryan stood in front of his team Wednesday morning in a meeting room and challenged them.
"Stand up," he said.
The Jets coach was addressing a published report filled with anonymous quotes criticizing backup quarterback Tim Tebow, including one that said Tebow was "terrible."
Now, Ryan wanted the players quoted to come out from behind the cloak of anonymity.
"Stand up if you said it," Ryan said. "If you want to say something like that, put your name on it. Stand up."
Everyone remained seated. Ryan then told the perpetrators they were cowards.
Anthony J. Causi
Tim Tebow talksand Rex Ryan
"I think it's a cowardly thing," Ryan told the media a short time later. "If you're not going to put your name on it, I think that's about as cowardly of a thing as there is."
The Tebow bashing is just the latest crisis in Jetsland. Tebow took the high road and did not attack his unnamed critics. He said he felt "some frustration" and "some sadness."
"I didn't even read it, but I definitely heard about it," he said. "I try to be the best teammate I can and work as hard as I can to get better every single day. Honestly, I feel like I have a great relationship with all these guys in the locker room."
Ryan and the Jets players insist this is not a sign that the division that plagued last year's team has returned. They say this is not a distraction that will have any effect on their performance.
"If I'm going to be judged on this team, will it come together or not, that's fine with me," Ryan said, "and I'll be here a long time because I believe this team will be like that."
This is the last thing the Jets needed as they prepare for their game with the Rams this week. At 3-6, the Jets are in full-blown crisis mode on the field. They did not need any off-the-field problems to add to it.
When the Jets traded for Tebow in March, they knew things like this were a possibility because of Tebow's popularity and the insatiable appetite the media has for him. The Jets have used him sparingly — just 63 snaps on offense.
Ryan spoke about his value as the personal protector on the punt team yesterday, but it's hard to sell making a move of this magnitude to help your punting average.
Many Jets players expressed dismay that anonymous sniping had become an issue again. The Jets dealt with this at the end of last season.
"Not again," guard Brandon Moore said of his initial reaction. "As in things media-wise becoming a distraction, not focusing on what we need to do better and having to answer this question. Not again in the sense of someone saying something anonymous. You know it's going to catch fire for a couple of days. It's useless and pointless toward what we're trying to do."
Guard Matt Slauson was the only player quoted by name in the report. He said the quotes used in the story were old.
"It was a little frustrating, because I remember those quotes and I don't remember the context and I don't remember when it was because it was so long ago," Slauson said. "I believe the context was completely unrelated to how it was used today."
The Jets players have stood behind starting quarterback Mark Sanchez as questions have arisen about whether the Jets should make a switch at the position. But players said they believe if Sanchez were injured, Tebow could be a capable replacement.
"Why wouldn't I? I was a victim of it last year," linebacker Bart Scott said, referring to Tebow's 95-yard, game-winning drive against the Jets. "Ask the Pittsburgh Steelers [whom Tebow and the Broncos defeated in the playoffs] if they think he can throw for over 300 yards. If that's terrible, then we all hope to be so terrible."
Sanchez was the target of anonymous quotes last year. He ripped the idea then and repeated it Wednesday.
"Nobody put their name on it," Sanchez said. "I said it was a cowardly thing last year, said I don't think it's professional and my feelings haven't really changed on it, whether it's me or anyone else it's just not cool."
brian.costello@nypost.com
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