Rex Ryan on anonymous Tim Tebow bashers: 'Put your name to it'

Rex Ryan took to the podium on Wednesday for his regularly scheduled media availability, and his press conference was inundated with questions about anonymous Jets bashing high-profile back-up quarterback Tim Tebow. The critical comments appeared in the New York Daily News, but were made by players requesting to remain anonymous. Ryan took more umbrage with that than the comments themselves. Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News quotes Ryan:

"If you're going to make a negative comment, that's fine. We never say that it always has to be a bed of roses. But again, put your name to it. I think people will respect you a lot more."

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"Did I address it? I absolutely addressed it," Ryan said. "Because I think it's a cowardly thing. If you're not going to put your name to it, I think that's about as cowardly of a thing as there is."

Multiple Jets made statements to the Daily News indicating that Tebow was "terrible" or only appropriate in a limited role as the "Wildcat guy." Offensive lineman Matt Slauson did allow his name to be used publicly for his statement that Tebow's skill level was "not even close" to that of current starter Mark Sanchez. Ryan did say he respected Slauson for going on the record publicly.

Sanchez and the Jets offense have struggled, prompting calls for Tebow in a season that's slipping away or is already gone. The Jets have lost five of their past six games, and have failed to score more than nine points in four of them.