The New York Jets Circus of 2012

SI Staff | Dec 18, 2012

The New York Jets Circus of 2012

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The New York Jets have been quite the circus since the end of last season, but for Jets fans, 2012 has given them very little to celebrate. Sharing a stadium with the Super Bowl champion New York Giants probably hasn't helped either. Here's a look at the acquisitions, incidents, and sheer clownishness within the franchise this past year.

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Fresh off of being fired by the Miami Dolphins, Tony Sparano was hired by the New York Jets as offensive coordinator. Center Nick Mangold said that "a breath of fresh air might be what this team needs." After Week 15, the Jets had the 30th ranked offense in the NFL and officially benched starting quarterback Mark Sanchez.

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Antonio Cromartie launches into a Twitter tirade after the Jets are reportedly interested in acquiring Tim Tebow: ""We sell out every home game let him go to Jacksonville Tampa or Miami. Our wildcat offense can b ran by J. Kerley or Joe McKnight we straight." ... "Y bring Tebow in when we need to bring in more Weapons for @Mark_Sanchez let's build the team around him. We already signed to 3 year [extension]," The Jets acquire Tebow from Denver the next day.

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Tim Tebow claims that he is "excited" 44 times in a 32-minute press conference.

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The Jets (0-4) become the first team in 35 years to go three preseason games without a touchdown, which matches the 1977 Atlanta Falcons for offensive futility. The Jets hadn't scored a TD in the 13 quarters before third string quarterback Greg McElroy tossed a 6-yard TD pass to Terrance Ganaway midway through the second quarter of their last preseason game, Aug. 30 vs. Eagles. Sanchez and Tebow failed to do that in 35 possessions.

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Rex Ryan, on the heels of a punchless 0-4 preseason, says "Overall, in my opinion, I think this has a chance to be the best team that I've had since I've been the coach here."

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Bart Scott nearly comes to blows with local reporter Dan Leberfeld in the locker room after Leberfeld snaps a photo of Scott during an interview. Scott had refused all interview requests up to that point in the season and did not appreciate the picture.

Rhona Wise/AP

Darrelle Revis leaves the game against the Dolphins with an undisclosed knee injury. An MRI taken the following day revealed Revis suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament and would be out for the remainder of the season.

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The Jets are blasted 34-0 by the 49ers at home and wide receiver Santonio Holmes is lost for the season with a Lisfranc foot injury.

Wilfredo Lee/AP

Tim Tebow and Mark Sanchez are voted the two most overrated players in the NFL in an SI poll of 180 players.

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Rex Ryan is voted the most overrated NFL head coach in a Sporting News poll. Ryan's response: "My first thought was I looked and I saw who was second and [thought], 'Hey, I finally beat Belichick at something. I got him. I knew it would take time, but I finally got him.'"

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Bart Scott tries to lead a media mutiny after the Jets' 27-13 win over the St. Louis Rams. Bart Hubbuch of the New York Post live tweeted the event, stating that Scott ordered every Jets players to say nothing but 'both teams played hard' and that Scott threatened anybody that talked. Scott screams at Bryan Thomas and calls him a "m*****f****** sellout" after Thomas begins answering questions.

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After ending the first quarter in a 0-0 tie, the Jets surrender three touchdowns in 52 seconds and five in the second quarter alone. Fans rain boos in MetLife Stadium as the Patriots go on to annihilate the Jets 49-19. Sanchez becomes the primary subject in a series of videos, gifs, and internet memes after he runs into his own offensive lineman's rear end, which causes him to fumble the ball.

Fireman Ed hangs up his helmet. Jets fan Ed Anzalone writes in a guest column for Metro New York newspaper that he will no longer lead the "J-E-T-S!'' chants at home games or wear his firefighter's hat because "confrontations'' between him and other fans "have become more common.'' The former New York City firefighter, who left the Jets' 49-19 loss to New England at halftime Thanksgiving night, says that MetLife Stadium has become divided over support for quarterbacks Mark Sanchez and Tim Tebow. Anzalone, who used to wear Bruce Harper's No. 42 jersey, has been wearing Sanchez's No. 6 this season. Anzalone says his choice to support Sanchez has led to more frequent incidents, and doesn't want "to lose my temper and make a stupid mistake.''

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Jets fans had a few (profane) things to say to their team as the players went to the locker room during halftime of their Thanksgiving game against the Patriots. Linebacker Bart Scott responded by telling the New York Daily News, "At the end of the day, if you made it to be able to put an NFL uniform on, then you are one of the best athletes in the world. The person yelling at you probably was picked last in dodgeball all through high school. So do you care about the opinion of them? No."

Andy Lyons/Getty Images; Wade Payne/AP

Mark Sanchez turns the ball over five times, which includes fumbling the snap on the last drive, in a 14-10 loss to Tennessee, ending the Jets' playoffs hopes. Rex Ryan announces the next day that Sanchez will be benched in favor of backup Greg McElroy, who led the Jets to a 7-6 win over Arizona just weeks earlier.