New York Jets coach Rex Ryan made the first part of his quarterback decision late Monday night, informing Mark Sanchez he was benched. Part two -- the bombshell -- came Tuesday.

Instead of promoting backup Tim Tebow, Ryan named third-string quarterback Greg McElroy -- inactive in all but one game -- as the starter Sunday against the San Diego Chargers.

Leave it to the Jets to turn a quarterback change into a multiple-choice controversy.

To make it worse, Ryan muddied an already complicated situation by refusing to cite his reason for bypassing Tebow, whose NFL resume is far superior to that of McElroy.

"I can answer this question a million ways -- frontward, backward, sideways, anything else," Ryan said late Tuesday in a conference call with reporters. "It's my decision and I based it on a gut feeling or whatever. Everything it comes down to is, I believe it's the best decision for our team. That's the only factor that goes into these decisions."

It was the biggest decision of his head-coaching tenure, raising questions about the futures of Sanchez and Tebow, who are signed through 2016 and 2014, respectively. It also could impact Ryan's own future.

Ryan insisted it was his call, and that owner Woody Johnson didn't force him into it. As recently as late last season, Ryan said Sanchez would be his quarterback for as long as he was the coach. The Jets (6-8), eliminated from playoff contention with Monday night's 14-10 loss to the Tennessee Titans, could face major changes in the offseason.

Sanchez played horribly in the game, throwing four interceptions. In fact, the Jets' last three possessions ended with a Sanchez turnover inside the Tennessee 26-yard line -- two interceptions and a fumbled snap in the shotgun. He leads the league with 24 turnovers -- an NFL-high 50 over the past two seasons.

Things got worse after the game for Sanchez, who received a series of death threats from one disgruntled fan on Twitter. League spokesman Greg Aiello said the NFL's security staff was aware of the man's threats and was working with the Jets to assist on the matter. The team declined comment through a spokesman.

Ryan was seething after the game, according to players. He didn't even wait until they got home from Nashville before breaking the news to Sanchez, who was benched for the first time in his career.

"In dealing with it, I told Mark, 'I think we need to make a change,' and he respected my decision," Ryan said. "That's not easy, that's for sure."