Jets owner Woody Johnson surprised by 'enormity of coverage' surrounding Tim ... - New York Daily News (blog)

CORTLAND â€" Tebowmania has been larger than Woody Johnson expected. The Jets owner admitted during practice on Tuesday that the magnitude of the coverage surrounding Gang Green’s backup quarterback actually caught him off guard.
 
"I think the enormity of the coverage kind of surprised me a little bit,” Johnson said. “But nothing more than that really.”
 
"I knew there would be press,” he added. “The interest, even by our standards, this is pretty amazing.”
 
Johnson downplayed the marketing impact that Tebow has made since joining the team in March.
 
“I don’t know if any single player does that,” Johnson said about marketing sales resulting from the Tebow acquisition. “As we get closer to the season, we’ve been selling very well all the way through this…. I don’t think it’s one player or another player. It’s basically excitement about the season and the timing of how close we are to the opening of the season.”
 
Johnson didn’t have an opinion one way or the other over the scrutinized media coverage surrounding Tebow on a daily basis.
 
“You guys (the media) are deciding that’s important for you and your audience,” Johnson said. “You’re making that decision and emphasizing that more than maybe looking at some of the other subtleties around the team.”
 
Johnson, who arrived in Cortland on Monday, said that he has been impressed by Tebow in their conversations.
 
“All the things you’ve heard about him, I’ve seen too,” the owner said.  
 
Johnson also disagreed with former Jets quarterback Boomer Esiaison’s take that Gang Green should cut Tebow.
 
"I disagree with that,” Johnson said. “I think Tebow is going to be a very valuable part of this team moving forward. We’re optimistic that Tim can be a valuable part of the team.”
 
Johnson also embraced all the attention surrounding his team these past few weeks.
 
“We’re in a media business. We want to give our fans an  insight,” Johnson said. “The fact that they’re interested I think it portends well for us. I would rather have them interested rather an apathetic and not paying attention to us.”
 
Johnson, a key fund-raiser for Mitt Romney, gave President Obama some good natured ribbing for suggesting that jets fans should be “nervous” over their quarterback situation.
 
“I’m glad he’s a New York Jets fan first and foremost,” Johnson said. “That’s important. The President of the United States being a Jets fan. That’s good…. The fact that he’s a Jets fan, he cares and is passionate about the New York Jets obviously, I think is a positive.”
 
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