New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan says Tim Tebow would have played in case of emergency – NFL News
New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan has defended his decision to keep Tim Tebow as a backup quarterback in Week 12 game against New England Patriots despite having problems with his ribs.
Ryan exclaimed on Friday that the team doctors had only diagnosed Tebow’s rib injury a day before the game, on Wednesday, through a CT scan.
Ryan further said that he was ready to put Tebow on the field in case of an emergency. He said:
"He absolutely, 100 percent could've played in that game. We knew he had sore ribs, but I don't think anybody knew the extent of it. Understand, players can play with cracked ribs. A lot will take (pain-killing) shots to numb it. I absolutely didn't want
us to do that."
Even though Tebow was not made active for Thursday’s miserable 19-49 defeat against Patriots, he did throw a catch with his right hand after the game to a boy who watched the game with sponsor of Tebow’s foundation.
This made it evident that Tebow was in great pain and was unable to throw the ball from his natural left hand.
This injury has started another controversy in the Jets camp. Tebow seems to have this injury since Week 10 game. However, it was not diagnosed as the X-rays of the ribs came out negative.
Tebow started to feel much more pain in his ribs on Tuesday. The player then went through an MRI as well as CT scan, results of which confirmed that his ribs were fractured.
Ryan also indicated that Tebow got the clearance from the doctors to play and the coach made it absolutely certain not to use him, but during any emergency. He said:
"If we absolutely had to have him, I would've played him. I'm not a doctor, I'm a human. I felt for him. When the doctors are telling you he can play, when the young man is telling you he can play ... he got reps the entire week. That's why I had him active."
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