Tim Tebow sure did impress at his first NY press conference yesterday. With all the Jets brass out of town at meetings, Tebow stood alone at the podium at the Jets training facility in New Jersey. After making a brief statement thanking the Broncos and all the Denver fans, he stated he was “honored and humbled to be a Jet and thankful that they wanted me.”

Then the new Jet backup quarterback opened the floor to a mob of reporter’s questions.  Yes he is very excited to be a Jet. No he doesn’t anticipate problems with Mark Sanchez because “Mark and I have a great relationship …and he told me we are going to have a lot of fun together.” Why did he choose to come to New York? Primarily because of his respect for and relationship with Rex Ryan and the Jets coaching staff. And no he’s not insulted that Joe Namath said the Jets signed him as a publicity stunt.

And then came the “gotcha” questions about his religion. One reporter said “Your faith is very important to you…was the thought of being able to spread it in the New York market a big deal …and how about spreading your faith within the locker-room.”  To which a poised and pleasant Tim Tebow responded, “It doesn’t matter what market I was in…in any market I just want to be myself and when I’m asked about it I wouldn’t be ashamed of saying I serve my lord and savior Jesus Christ and in the locker-room it’s not something that I’m super outspoken about, it’s just that’s who I am and that’s how I live… and I don’t try to approach a lot of guys with it because I think the greatest way to share the gospel is by acting it and by them seeing who you are as a person…your integrity, your character and how you go about handling yourself.”

Moments later when another reporter asked Tebow if he would explain what his “core beliefs” are and why he hasn’t weighed in on “some of the hot button social topics that we hear politicians and religious leaders talk about,” a patient and still pleasant Tebow said, “number one we’re at a press conference for a football team so it’s not exactly the platform to get up here and share everything you believe, but I have no problems ever sharing what I believe and yeah I’m a Christian …that is first and foremost the most important thing in my life…and it’s exciting for me to get opportunities to share that but at the same time this is a press conference for the New York Jets football team.”

Point, set, and match Tebow. The adroit New York press corps couldn’t lure him into the minefield that has become religion and politics in this presidential primary season and couldn’t bait him into expressing thoughts or ideas that would be inappropriate in a football forum. Let’s put it this way, if Tebow handles his opponents the way he handled these reporters this could turn out to be a terrific Jets season after all!

Watch the full press conference here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSKRnrpcbOg