Toomer, Testaverde weigh in on Jets QB situation - New York Post

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Former New York Jets quarterback Vinny Testaverde, MetLife Chief Marketing Officer Beth Hirschhorn and Former New York Giants wide receiver Amani Toomer attend Random Acts of Football 2012 Snoopy Statue Dedication Ceremony at the MetLife Building.

Tim Tebow versus Mark Sanchez? It depends on how you look at it if you are Amani Toomer.

The former Giants receiver voiced his opinion in the Tebow/Sanchez debate, saying that he prefers Sanchez if he is catching passes, but Tebow in any other scenario.

“If I was a receiver, I would rather have Mark Sanchez throwing me the ball, but if I was any other position on that team, I would rather have Tim Tebow in there,” Toomer said. “The receiver wants the statistics, they want to catch a lot of balls and be part of the offense. What Tim Tebow did last year with the Broncos shows you that he creates a problem, a mismatch for defenses trying to stop him consistently.”

Toomer didn’t stop there though, he also dismissed the comparison between Eli Manning and Mark Sanchez. Manning didn’t win his first Super Bowl until his fourth year in the NFL and with Sanchez entering his fourth season as the Jets’ starting quarterback, he could replicate his Big Blue counterpart’s feat.

“Sports doesn’t work like that there are no happy endings, it’s not Disney, it’s real life,” Toomer said. “I don’t see that happening I think that’s ridiculous to be honest with you. [Sanchez] has the ability, yes. Will he do it, I don’t think so.”

During an event in Midtown promoting tomorrow night’s preseason matchup with the Jets, Toomer was joined by former Jets quarterback Vinny Testaverde, who praised Sanchez and the Jets’ chances at making a Super Bowl run.

“I definitely think Mark has the ability,” Testaverde said. “Mark has to take that step forward, step up in order for this team to do that. I think he’s primed and ready to do it, he has been putting in the hard work. I think if the team stays healthy, they’ll be there in the playoffs and they have a shot at it all.”

The Jets traded for Tebow in March, setting off a media frenzy and sparking an immediate quarterback controversy despite the team saying Sanchez would be the starter in Week 1. In his first three seasons in the NFL, Sanchez has never really dealt with the pressure of having a quarterback of Tebow’s stature backing him up.

“A big part of [the team’s success] is going to fall on Mark Sanchez’s shoulders and how he handles it if people want to start wanting Tim Tebow in there,” Testaverde said. “If he stays positive and confident, he’s going to have a great year, if he starts wavering and doubts himself and doubts the decisions being made on the field, then there could be some trouble.”