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Jets fans are nearly unanimous in their belief that Mark Sanchez is a pathetic excuse for a quarterback whose benching was overdue. But the man Sanchez will replace as the Jets’ starter on Sunday, Greg McElroy, doesn’t see it that way.

McElroy says Sanchez has taught him a great deal about playing quarterback, and that he’ll try to emulate Sanchez this week.

“Everything that I’ve learned at this position in this league has been from Mark,” McElroy said, in comments distributed by the Jets’ PR staff. “He’s the guy that I’ve seen every day. Every day that I’ve been an NFL player, I’ve been looking up to him. I’ve been observing him and trying to follow after his lead. I’ve been watching him. I understand how to play this game because of him.”

McElroy has said that last year’s Jets team had a bunch of selfish guys who didn’t care if they won or lost, but this year McElroy says Sanchez and Tim Tebow have been model teammates.

“I can’t say enough about Mark and Tim,” McElroy said. “Those guys are unselfish and have been nothing but helpful. I talked to Mark [after Jets coach Rex Ryan made the quarterback switch] and he was very encouraging, very helpful, and Tim’s been the same way. I can’t say enough about those guys.”

It’s classy of McElroy to say that. It’s also probably not quite what Jets fans wanted to hear.