Much earlier during this wild day in NFL history, it seemed that a circus would be coming to New York with Tim Tebow's arrival.
But what if the circus doesn't show up?
Debate: Tebowmania, anyone?
With Peyton Manning in Denver, Tim Tebow is on the trading block. Would you want him on your roster? Let's debate! **More ...**
Consider that the Jets' official Twitter feed announced the trade. That tweet has yet to be deleted, which could be viewed as a sign the Jets remain optimistic. (We are not optimistic about the poor guy who operates that feed.)
If the trade falls through, the Jets will essentially have to admit that they announced a trade before reading Tebow's contract. We know owner Woody Johnson is desperate for headlines, but that would be ridiculous.
The Broncos are reportedly attempting to recoup $5 million as part of the deal. NFL Network's Jeff Darlington reports that other teams were unwilling to trade for Tebow because of this wrinkle in his contract. The Jets, unlike those teams, were unaware of this issue. NFL Network insider Jason La Canfora later reported that no official papers had been filed with the league.
John Elway holds all the cards here. He has Peyton Manning in one pocket and Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum in the other.
The embarrassing end to the Jets' 2011 season would appear to merely have been an appetizer to this debacle.