FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) - An angry Rex Ryan addressed his New York Jets players for some anonymous quotes ripping Tim Tebow in a newspaper report, calling the comments ``a cowardly thing.''

Ryan, whose Jets are 3-6 and have lost three straight, says Wednesday that he has no respect for players who say things to the media without putting their names to their comments.

A report in the Daily News says that more than a dozen players and members of the Jets organization believe there's no chance Tebow could overtake Mark Sanchez for the starting quarterback job - with one saying of the backup: ``He's terrible.''

Ryan says the Jets never brought Tebow in to be the starter, and adds that he ``absolutely wanted Tim here'' when New York acquired him from Denver in March.

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