Tim Tebow Wanted to be Traded to the Jets, Not the Jaguars

Not only did the Jets want to trade for Tim Tebow, but the quarterback also wanted to be dealt to the Jets.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Broncos gave Tebow the choice of being traded to New York or Jacksonville, and he chose to go to the Big Apple.

In exchange for Tebow, the Jets sent the Broncos a fourth and sixth-round draft pick. New York also got a seventh-round pick from Denver in the deal.

Schefter is reporting that the Jaguars offered the Broncos a similar package. Jacksonville was willing to send Denver a fourth-round pick, which is more valuable than the Jets fourth-round pick. The Jaguars were also willing to pay a larger portion of Tebow's contract than the Jets.

The Jaguars offer was marginally better than the Jets, but Tebow informed Denver that his preferred destination was New York.

It's somewhat surprising that the quarterback would rather play for the Jets than Jacksonville. In New York, Tebow will start the season as the backup. He would have had a good chance to be the starter with the Jaguars.

Tebow is also from Florida, and reports came out earlier in the week that said he wanted to go back home to play.

The Jets and Tebow seem like an odd fit. Tebow is known as being a high character teammate. New York has been criticized for having just the opposite type of players.

Rex Ryan's brash style of coaching doesn't seem to match Tebow's demeanor, but the quarterback says he's always been a fan of the Jets head coach.

I wanted to play for Coach Ryan ever since I saw 'Hard Knocks,' Tebow said. He just seemed like a coach who loves football and is passionate about the game of football. He's definitely a players' coach. I just love that about him.

After HBO's Hard Knocks aired in the summer of 2010, many criticized Ryan for constantly using foul language. Tebow says this won't be a problem.

I have so much respect for Coach Ryan. He's a coach you want to play for, a coach you want to go out there and do good for. . . . there's not many NFL locker rooms you're going to go where you have the cleanest language, so I'm not too worried about that.

It will be interesting to see how Tebow's popularity translates to the Jets. Mark Sanchez has been under a lot of scrutiny since taking over as the Jets quarterback three years ago. Fans could start clamoring for Tebow to start at the first sign of any struggles from Sanchez.

Whether he's starting or on the bench, Tebow says he's very happy with the trade.

Just playing for an organization that has such passionate fans, such a great fan base, so many people that care about them and support them, that definitely means a lot to me. I'm just thankful to be a Jet.