It took almost a year, but someone finally stood up and took responsibility for the trade that brought Tim Tebow to the New York Jets.
Former general manager Mike Tannenbaum didn't let his lack of obligation to the team stop him from raising his hand to stop the wondering once and for all. Tannenbaum called it "a trade that just didn't work out" during an interview with ESPNNewYork.com that serves as the final episode of a show that you stopped watching a long time ago.
"Once we met on it and talked about it, ultimately that was my decision to trade for Tim," Tannenbaum said. "I had a great working relationship with both Woody (Johnson) and Rex (Ryan). Anytime we'd make a decision on something like this, we'd talk about it, discuss the pros and cons and ultimately it was my decision. I've always said that."
Tannenbaum laid out the thought process that preceded the trade and why the team didn't think it would be a problem to bring Tebow into the locker room. It's still hard to believe that Ryan would allow a player who comes with Tebow's baggage onto the team and then allow him to sit unused or that Johnson's constant enthusiasm about Tebow wasn't a reflection of his feelings, but it's a good lesson to never argue with someone who wants to take the blame.
Tannenbaum clammed up when it came to explaining why things went pear-shaped, which is fine since there's no way to unspill milk. It won't do much to recommend him for future employment in the football world, but Tannenbaum's willingness to fall on the grenade should finally put an end to the Tebow era.
He'll be gone soon enough, floated out to sea with the rest of the debris from this miserable season while Johnson and Ryan can answer questions about what's next for the Jets. According to new general manager John Idzik, finding competition for Mark Sanchez ranks high on the list.
Thankfully, the search is not (yet?) desperate enough for the team to take a look at bloated former first overall pick JaMarcus Russell. Russell is trying a comeback after three years out of the game and his first obstacle is the fact that he weighs 308 pounds.
The team shot down any talk of interest in Russell quickly. Presumably they have a few better ideas than Tebow and Russell kicking around now that Idzik is on the job.
If not, 2012 will likely be referred to as the good old days.
Josh Alper is also a writer for Pro Football Talk. You can follow him on Twitter.
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