Tim Tebooed at Yankee Stadium

Tim Tebow, the new backup quarterback for the Jets, was booed at Yankee Stadium on Sunday night when he was shown on the giant video board -- even though he was wearing a Yankees cap.

Sitting in the third row next to the Los Angeles Angels dugout, Tebow cracked a smile and acknowledged the camera. There was a smattering of cheers, but most of the initial reactions were boos.

Tebow was acquired by the New York Jets from Denver in a much-hyped trade last month. He is expected to back up starter Mark Sanchez, even though Tebow rallied the Broncos to the NFL playoffs last season and became a polarizing sensation in the process.

Sitting next to Tebow was Miami Heat star Dwyane Wade, also booed when he was shown on the scoreboard earlier in the game. But those boos quickly turned to cheers when Wade held up his Yankees cap.

Wade and the Heat beat the New York Knicks 93-85 Sunday afternoon at Madison Square Garden.

All Major League Baseball players and coaches wore number 42 on Sunday in honor of Jackie Robinson breaking baseball's color barrier on April 15, 1947.

"It was an honor to be at Yankee Stadium tonight on Jackie Robinson Day...65 yrs ago he broke down barriers...," Wade tweeted Sunday night.

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Tim Tebow is New York Backup

Tim Tebow maybe just the new backup quarterback for the New York Jets.

Tebow told 1050 ESPN Radio on Friday that he's "not sure" if he'll ever be a starting quarterback again, and that thought doesn't even concern him right now.

"I don't know what the future holds, but I know who holds my future," Tebow said, referring to his strong Christian faith. "That's something that has always given me peace and comfort. That's why I don't have to worry about the future. I can just worry about today and worry about becoming better as a football player and a person."

Tebow was acquired from Denver in a trade on March 21 and introduced Monday at a news conference that included more than 200 media members. He said his only plan is to help his new team win games and "be the best quarterback, best teammate, best football player I can be and just be someone that adds something to that locker room."

Coach Rex Ryan and general manager Mike Tannenbaum repeatedly have said Sanchez is the unquestioned starter, with Tebow serving as the backup but having a significant role in the offense. Tebow has chosen his words carefully since arriving in New York, staying away from anything that could stir controversy.

He compared this situation to when he was a freshman at the University of Florida and backed up Chris Leak while seeing occasional snaps.

"Ultimately, it ended with a lot of success," Tebow said, "us winning a national championship."

Tebow said he has met several of his new Jets teammates, including Bart Scott, Matt Slauson and D'Brickashaw Ferguson, and has spoken to Sanchez on the phone. He even defended Antonio Cromartie, who said on Twitter that he was against the trade for Tebow before it was made.

"It's great because he had his quarterback's back," Tebow said. "That's what you want. You want guys that are supporting your quarterback. I think that's great, and I commend him for doing that."

Tebow Jets to New York

Tim Tebow is coming to New York after the New York Jets pulled off a deal Wednesday night, getting the quarterback who turned the Denver Broncos from an also-ran into a playoff team last season and became the NFL's most talked-about player, They did so offering up a fourth- and sixth-round draft pick.

"I'm thankful they stuck with me through this whole crazy process," Tebow said during a call late Wednesday night, repeating several times that he was "excited" to be a member of the Jets.

Eight hours after initially agreeing to a trade, the teams completed it after it was hung up when the Jets, sources told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter, balked at repaying Denver more than $5 million for a salary advance due Tebow. The two sides agreed to split that cost, and Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum said the team was "comfortable with the compensation."

He said there was a disagreement about how to handle the salary advance after Denver received the papers.

"We knew what the contract was," Tannenbaum said in a separate conference call Wednesday. "We had read it. ... We felt it was one way; they felt it was another. Based on that, they were well within their rights to assess their different possibilities of what to do and their alternatives. And they did so throughout the day."

The Jets and Broncos originally announced the trade just after 1 p.m. ET Wednesday. But then Denver, according to sources, asked the Jets to pay back a portion of bonuses and salary already paid to Tebow.

Tebow was given a $6.2 million salary advance before the 2011 season, the sources said. Tebow's contract required the Jets to repay the advanced salaries for the 2012, 2013 and 2014 seasons, a total of about $5 million, according to sources.

The Broncos expected the Jets to pay those salary advances as per terms of the contract. The Jets balked at doing so, allowing the Jaguars to re-enter the picture.

Jacksonville offered the Broncos a fourth-round pick and were willing to pay Denver most, if not all of, the $5 million in question on Tebow's contract, league sources told Schefter. But Denver liked the Jets' offer better, and Tebow preferred to be traded to New York because of the support he got from Jets front office and coaches, according to the sources.

Tebow denied that he had final say in where he was going.

"Ultimately, I really didn't have any because the Broncos had all that power," Tebow said, adding that Denver was "gracious" in the way it handled the process. "I was just kind of watching and waiting -- kind of like everybody else. It was an interesting day."

Jaguars owner Shad Khan said in a statement Wednesday night that he asked general manager Gene Smith to look into a Tebow deal.

"I think we have a duty to consider all avenues of improving the Jaguars on and off the field, especially given the unique circumstances involving the player," Khan said. "I appreciate the high level of due diligence Gene and his staff dedicated to this matter, even as late as this evening, and I am very satisfied with the outcome. Our commitment to developing (2011 first-round pick) Blaine Gabbert was, and still is, central to our goal of returning the Jaguars to elite status in the NFL. We're looking ahead with zero regrets."

Tebow, a former first-round pick, went on the trading block Monday when the Broncos secured free agent Peyton Manning, who signed a five-year, $96 million contract.

Several teams expressed interest in Tebow, but the Jets -- perceived as a sleeper at the outset -- pulled off the splashiest trade of the offseason.

Tebow, who has three years remaining on his contract and a 2012 base salary of $1.1 million, will join a cast of backups behind incumbent Mark Sanchez, but his presence could ignite a quarterback controversy. Cornerback Antonio Cromartie tweeted on Tuesday night that "we don't need Tebow," expressing his confidence in Sanchez and the current roster.

Tannenbaum emphasised that the team is committed to Sanchez.

"Mark Sanchez is, has been and will be our starting quarterback," he said, also noting that he had spoken to both quarterbacks and explained their roles.

Tebow said he had a "great conversation" on Wednesday with Sanchez, adding that they've been friends for several years.

"My goal is to push him to get better, and to push myself to get better every day," Tebow said. "But I think we'll have a great working relationship. We'll have a great relationship off the field, and we've had that the last few years. He's such a classy guy and handles himself so well, and I'll be very honoured to call him my teammate."

Asked on Tuesday what he thought it would be like to play with Tebow, Sanchez told FoxSportsRadio in Los Angeles, "I think Peyton (Manning) will do great; I think Tim will do great no matter what happens. He's either going to get a great chance to learn from one of the best quarterbacks to ever play, or he moves on somewhere else and he uses his skills on another ballclub. He definitely has talent. He knows how to win; he knows how to inspire players."

The timing of the trade is curious for New York.

Two weeks ago, the Jets gave Sanchez a three-year, $40.5 million contract extension, professing their faith in him even though he regressed last season. They signed formerDetroit Lions backup Drew Stanton last week to be their No. 2 quarterback, handing him a $500,000 signing bonus. They also have former Alabama star Greg McElroy.

The Jets see Tebow as a change-of-pace player with the ability to run the wildcat offense. They've used the wildcat in recent years, but cut back last season with the departure of Brad Smith. The new offensive coordinator is Tony Sparano, who introduced the wildcat to the NFL as coach of the Miami Dolphins.

"It is very clear: They want me to come in and compete and get better, and get better as a quarterback and to help the team any way possible," Tebow said. "Whatever that role is, I will do my best."

Tannenbaum said Tebow makes the Jets "a diverse more dynamic offense that's going to make it more difficult for opposing teams to defend."

Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Namath, who led the Jets to their only Super Bowl title in 1969, was among those unhappy with the trade when it was announced earlier Wednesday.

"I'm just sorry that I can't agree with this situation. I think it's just a publicity stunt. I can't go with it. I think it's wrong," Namath told "The Michael Kay Show" on ESPN1050 in New York. "I don't think they know what they're doing over there."

Asked if he hoped the deal would ultimately fall through, Namath said, "Absolutely."

"And I'm a Tim Tebow fan, but I'm a bigger Jet fan than I am a Tim Tebow fan," Namath said.

Ryan, however, wants the Jets to get back to being a power-running team and New York only has one proven back, Shonn Greene. The 6-foot-3, 238-pound Tebow rushed for 660 yards last season, including a 20-yard touchdown in the final minute to beat the Jets 17-14 in a November game at Denver.

A few weeks earlier, Tebow beat Sparano and the Dolphins with one of his trademark comebacks, overcoming a 15-0 deficit to win in overtime, 18-15.

There's also some thought that Tebow and his clean-cut image could help polish the negative perception of the Jets' locker room, torn by discord last season. But others close to the team said that was no factor in the decision.

There could be potential backlash for the Jets. Tebow's enormous popularity could turn into a distraction, especially for Sanchez. If Sanchez struggles, the fan base ostensibly could turn on him and start clamouring for Tebow.

"We obviously know Tim has a magnetic following and he's a dynamic person, but every starting quarterback has a backup quarterback," Tannenbaum said Wednesday. "If you struggle, we understand the popularity of any backup quarterback. This one is a little more unique than others. Mark, in this market, has shown resilience and toughness."

This also will be an adjustment for Tebow as he returns to a backup role. He became one of the most popular athletes in the nation last season, replacing Kyle Orton and leading the Broncos -- seemingly dead after a 1-4 start -- to an 8-8 record and the AFC West title. He did it with a run of miraculous finishes, one more improbable than the next.

Tebow won his first playoff game, beating the Pittsburgh Steelers with an 80-yard touchdown pass to Demaryius Thomas on the first play of overtime. The following week, Tebow crashed hard in a 45-10 loss to the New England Patriots.

"Tim Tebow deserves an enormous amount of credit for what he accomplished and how he carried himself during his time with the Broncos," Broncos executive vice president of football operations John Elway said in a statement Wednesday night. "His time in Denver will always hold a special place in Broncos history."

Elway anointed Tebow as the starting quarterback going into training camp, but that didn't prevent him from entering the Manning sweepstakes.

Clearly, the Broncos were troubled by his flawed mechanics as a passer. Tebow completed only 46.5 percent of his throws last season.

"As a former player, I know the last two weeks were not easy for Tim," Elway said in Wednesday's statement. "He was put in a difficult situation, and I commend him for how he handled it with the same first-class manner he displayed throughout his career in Denver."

It should be interesting to see how Tebow is welcomed in the locker room. During the run-up to last November's game, the Jets' defensive players weren't complimentary when discussing his passing skills. Cornerback Darrelle Revis said Tebow's unorthodox style as an option quarterback couldn't sustain long-term success in the NFL.

As it turned out, Tebow made the playoffs and Sanchez didn't. Sanchez struggled down the stretch, fuelling speculation about his future. Publicly, team officials backed him, but also promised the quarterback depth chart would have a different look in 2012.

Tebow for Tim as Manning Signs

Peyton Manning is finalizing a contract with the Denver Broncos, a league source told NFL Network's Michael Lombardi on Monday.

Manning called Broncos vice president of football operations John Elway on Monday to inform him of his decision.

The Broncos already have looked into a trade of quarterback Tim Tebow and currently are looking for a trade partner, a source told NFL Network's Albert Breer.

The Broncos were one of three finalists for the four-time NFL MVP, as the Tennessee Titans and the San Francisco 49ers fell just short of the Broncos in the race to sign Manning. The Arizona Cardinals and Miami Dolphins also were in the hunt and earned meetings with Manning but ultimately did not make the final three.

Manning personally called Titans owner Bud Adams, who had offered Manning a lifetime contract with the Titans, to let him know of his choice, according to The Tennessean. The newspaper reported that Adams was disappointed, but he was glad his team made a run at the quarterback.

"I was hoping we would win out," Adams told The Tennessean. "I thought we'd be ahead of Denver. I thought he'd want to stay in Tennessee."

Adams told the newspaper that he jokingly told Manning, "He was going into high altitude, so he better start getting in shape."

The Broncos flew to Durham, N.C., to watch Manning throw at nearby Duke University last Friday. The Broncos' contingent was led by Elway, coach John Fox, general manager Brian Xanders, offensive coordinator Mike McCoy, quarterbacks coach Adam Gase and medical personnel.

"We enjoyed visiting with Peyton today in N.C.," Elway tweeted after the session. "He threw the ball great and looked very comfortable out there. Watching him throw today was the next step in this important process for our team and Peyton. It was a productive visit and went well."

The Indianapolis Colts released Manning on March 7, ending a 14-year relationship between the team and its franchise quarterback.

The Colts' decision to part ways with the four-time MVP, who has thrown for over 54,000 career yards with 399 touchdowns, did not come as a surprise. Manning missed all of 2011 after undergoing neck surgery the week before the start of the regular season. He was due to receive a $28 million roster bonus if he had been with the Colts, a team currently in rebuilding mode with a new coach and general manager, at the start of the league year.

Fox Says Quinn and Tebow Close

Broncos coach John Fox says Brady Quinn's apology to Tim Tebow shows the two have a close relationship.

"Sometimes this gets lost in translation, but I know their relationship is very good and they are good teammates," Fox said.

On Wednesday, Quinn apologized for critical comments about Tebow that were published in a magazine article. Quinn said Tebow's success last season had a lot to do with luck and that he didn't think Tebow was too humble about demonstrating his faith.

When asked about Quinn's apology, Fox said he believes the apology presents a more accurate portrayal of Quinn than the comments attributed to him.

"That just shows who he is. Sometimes that happens in conversation though it's never happened to me."

Fox's comments came Thursday at the NFL's annual scouting combine in Indianapolis.

With only two quarterbacks on the roster, Fox says the team will look to add two more quarterbacks before training camp.

"We typically go to camp with four quarterbacks and right now we have two, so you do the math," Fox said.

Tebow Pulls Broncos Trigger

"Pull the trigger," John Elway told his Denver Broncos star, Tim Tebow, trying to shake the quarterback from a three-game funk.

Tebow went one better -- he pulled off an upset.

A rejuvenated Tebow connected with Demaryius Thomas on an electrifying 80-yard touchdown pass on the first play of overtime and the Broncos defeated the stunned Pittsburgh Steelers 29-23 in the AFC wild-card game on Sunday.

Thomas hauled in a high play-action pass at the Denver 38, stiff-armed Ike Taylor and then outraced backup safety Ryan Mundy to the end zone.

"I was just saying, 'Man trust your speed. Trust your speed. Don't cut back. Don't cut back.' And he kept it straight. He outran the guy," said Willis McGahee, whose fourth-quarter fumble helped Pittsburgh tie it.

"I was like, 'Oh my God, is he still running?' Please just go. Please. Please."

Tebow, who had done next to nothing in the second half after a 20-point explosion in the second quarter, looked as startled as everyone else. He chased down Thomas and knelt on one knee -- Tebowing as it's known -- in the end zone while the crowd was going crazy. Then he pounded a fist in triumph and took a victory lap.

"When I saw him scoring, first of all, I just thought, 'Thank you, Lord,' " Tebow said. "Then, I was running pretty fast, chasing him -- like I can catch up to D.T.! Then I just jumped into the stands, first time I've done that. That was fun. Then, got on a knee and thanked the Lord again and tried to celebrate with my teammates and the fans."

Behind Tebow's season-high 316 yards passing, the Broncos (9-8) are heading to New England for a second-round game against the top-seeded Patriots (13-3) on Saturday night.

The Patriots walloped the Broncos 41-23 last month, sending Tebow into a funk that included seven turnovers and a 40 percent completion clip -- and prompting Elway to implore him to "pull the trigger" in the playoffs.

And unlike Elway, who lost his first postseason start -- to the Steelers at home in 1984 -- Tebow is 1-0 in the playoffs.

"We're just a fighting team. A lot of resilience," cornerback Champ Bailey said. "In any adverse situation, we'll find a way to get out of it. Everybody says we backed into the playoffs, we're in. We did something right along the way. We're in it. We won a game. Now, we've got to go try to win another one."

The Steelers (12-5) lost despite Ben Roethlisberger rallying injury-depleted Pittsburgh from a two-touchdown halftime deficit with 10 points in the final 10 minutes.

Pittsburgh called tails for the overtime coin toss, and it came up heads.

Tebow, who engineered five fourth-quarter comebacks and three OT wins in the regular season, wasted no time finding Thomas over the middle with just his second pass on first down all night -- and his first completion.

Thomas also had receptions of 51 and 58 yards to set up second-quarter touchdowns after Tebow lost his top target, Eric Decker, to a seriously injured left knee, in the first half.

"They were the No. 1 defense and we are the No. 1 offense running the ball," Thomas said. "So, I feel like they wanted to make a statement and stop the run. I don't know if they forgot about the passing game. The last couple of games that we had, we were not passing the ball that great."

Thus, Elway's admonition.

"I feel like he came out and played confident," Eddie Royal said. "And I think that's what John was trying to tell him: Play the way you know how to play. And Tim did that. He was smart with the ball and really led this offense today."

Tebow's passer rating of 125.6 was the highest in Broncos postseason history.

"He showed he's a quarterback in the NFL, case closed," McGahee said. "They say he couldn't throw. They said we wouldn't be able to run the ball on them. We did that. I wonder what they're going to say next week."

Mundy was playing in place of Ryan Clark, the Steelers' leading tackler who sat this one out because of a blood condition that's exacerbated at altitude.

"We lost, and it's not because I didn't play; we had very capable guys that played well," said Clark, who was one of several Steelers sidelined or injured. Pro Bowl center Maurkice Pouncey was out, replaced by Doug Legursky, who had a bad snap right before halftime that moved Pittsburgh out of field goal range.

On the first snap of overtime, Thomas pulled in Tebow's high pass and raced down the Broncos sideline, sending the crowd, including Elway, the Broncos executive vice president, into a frenzy at Sports Authority Field, which was rocking like the old Mile High Stadium back in the 1990s.

McGahee sold the play-action well, drawing safety Troy Polamalu and others up to the line to defend the run and leaving Thomas with room on the crossing pattern to grab the pass and turn on the jets for the 80-yard score, Tebow's longest pass play as a pro.

"It was a little surprising," Steelers linebacker James Farrior said. "But I guess he's been working hard. He's taken a lot of criticism over the past few weeks about his throwing motion, his passing game. Like I said earlier, he's a competitor. You keep trying to down a guy, and a guy like him who's a tough competitor, he's going to get you one time."

Hines Ward called this defeat "just as disappointing" as last year's loss to Green Bay in the Super Bowl.

"I've been on a lot of really good teams, thank God, and I felt this team was up there with them," Polamalu said. "We weren't able to stay healthy and keep a cohesiveness like we wanted to."

Tebow completed 10 of 21 passes and Thomas hauled in four of them for 204 yards after Decker was injured on a hit by linebacker James Harrison.

Thomas, who missed training camp while recovering from a torn Achilles and the start of the season while dealing with a fractured finger, has come on strong of late, averaging 109 yards over the last six games.

But the Broncos' top pick in 2010 -- taken three slots ahead of Tebow in the first round -- hadn't had done anything like this.

"It's amazing because I haven't played explosive like I did in college in a long time," Thomas said.

Tebow threw two TD passes and also ran 10 times for 50 yards and a touchdown.

"I think we executed a little bit better. We tried to step up," he said. "We knew it was win or go home. This team wanted to fight. We wanted to play another game."

These two teams had played the first ever regular season overtime game on Sept. 22, 1974, in Denver. Now, they played the first non-sudden death playoff game in history. The new rules called for both teams to get the ball in the extra period providing there wasn't a touchdown by either the offense or defense.

Tebow took care of that in a hurry.

Making his first appearance in the playoffs after going 7-4 as Denver's starter, Tebow outplayed Roethlisberger, a two-time Super Bowl winner playing on a bad ankle, who fell to 10-4 in the playoffs.

Roethlisberger was 22 for 40 for 289 yards with one TD, one interception and five sacks. Tebow wasn't taken down once by the league's top defense.

The Broncos snapped a three-game losing streak that had many wondering if they were even worthy of their first playoff in six seasons, and it kept the Steelers from their 34th playoff win, which would have broken a tie with the Cowboys for the most ever.

Tebow led Denver to 20 second-quarter points -- they had scored just 13 in the quarter in his 11 starts -- but a 20-6 halftime lead didn't last long.

Receiver Mike Wallace had a 1-yard TD run, Shaun Suisham kicked a short field goal and Jerricho Cotchery grabbed a 31-yard TD pass with 3:48 left in regulation to tie it.

The Steelers were nearing field goal range in the final minute of regulation but the Broncos sacked Roethlisberger three times on that final drive, forcing a fumble that Roethlisberger recovered.

"We were moving it and we had a shot," Roethlisberger said. "Someone got, it felt like a finger, on the ball and knocked it out. After that, you're trying to throw a 70-yard Hail Mary and that's hard."

Roethlisberger never got the ball back as Tebow added to his growing list of impossible victories in the blink of an eye and a flick of the wrist.

"He gets a lot of flak when things go wrong," Clark said, "but he played phenomenal today."