New York Jets coach Rex Ryan stood on the podium with a knowing grin.
"I have a funny feeling there's going to be more questions about former players than current players," he told a gathering of reporters on Tuesday.
One day after Tim Tebow joined forces with the New England Patriots, Ryan again was besieged with queries about the quarterback who so famously flamed out in Florham Park one season ago. Now that Tebow is the property of Enemy No. 1, Ryan wasn't saying much.
"It's not a surprise to me that Tim would be picked up," Ryan said. "Obviously, as I said before, you know, tremendous young man. Very competitive. So, I'm happy for him and look forward to competing against him."
In an offseason that's seen former Jets tight end Dustin Keller migrate to the Miami Dolphins, longtime defensive coordinator Mike Pettine land with the Buffalo Bills, and Tebow fall under the direction of Bill Belichick, Ryan pointed to an AFC East flooded with "my guys."
"I'm not worried about anything," Ryan said. "... If they want to replace (Tom) Brady with him, that's fine."
The reality is we might see even less of Tebow on the field in New England than we did with the Jets last season. After spending a year in practice with the backup quarterback, Ryan didn't appear overly cowed by New England's newest chess piece.
Follow Marc Sessler on Twitter @MarcSesslerNFL.
