Reuters

When the Jets traded for Tim Tebow, they added a backup quarterback who can make plays in the Wildcat formation. But they also added the NFL player who inspires passion from those who love him and those who hate him, and who generates more media publicity than any other. And the Jets want to prevent all that publicity from spinning out of their control.

Good luck with that.

Bob Raissman of the New York Daily News reports that the Jets are at work attempting to keep Tebowmania under control.

“NFL sources said the Jets have already decided to limit some of Tebow’s ‘outside’ endeavors, which would include doing a weekly radio spot,” Raissman writes.

But the reality is that a team can’t actually stop a player from doing whatever media appearances he wants to do in his free time. The Jets can urge Tebow not to have his own weekly radio spot, but they don’t get to decide to limit Tebow’s outside endeavors. He’s free to do a weekly radio spot if he wants to do a radio spot.

Tebow, however, is treading carefully, trying to be a team player and trying not to overshadow Mark Sanchez. He said he’s not sure if he’ll ever be a starting quarterback because he knows that publicly, the Jets want to continue to promote Sanchez as their starter — and not to have Sanchez overshadowed by his backup.

At least, until Tebow is no longer Sanchez’s backup.