"Ten months after the Jets traded for Tim Tebow, the move has become a hot topic again.

An ESPN report this week quoted Ted Sundquist, who interviewed for the Jets general manager job, saying Jets owner Woody Johnson told him the Tebow trade was "forced" on him by his front office, namely former GM Mike Tannenbaum.

A league source with direct knowledge of the trade said though Tannenbaum was the driving force behind the move, there is no way it can be characterized as being "forced" on Johnson.

"He owns the team," the source said. "All he had to do was say 'no.' Nothing is ever forced on Woody."

The source said it is true Tannenbaum is the member of the Jets organization who came up with the idea of trading for Tebow once the Broncos signed Peyton Manning. The source said once Tannenbaum came up with the idea, several members of the Jets organization tried to talk him out of the trade, saying Tebow was not an accurate passer. But Tannenbaum was not swayed.

"The thing picked up steam quick," the source said.