Greg McElroy did not tell the Jets staff about his concussion until Thursday. (Rich Schultz/Getty Images)

New York Jets quarterback Greg McElroy did not tell the Jets training staff about his concussion until Thursday. But he told teammates about his symptoms much earlier in the week, ESPN.com’s Jane McManus reported.

According to the report, McElroy told several teammates about his reluctance to reveal the concussion to the Jets staff. Jets head coach Rex Ryan surprisingly announced that McElroy would be out for Sunday’s finale against the Buffalo Bills and that Mark Sanchez would start in his place.

McManus named wide receiver Clyde Gates and offensive guard Matt Slauson as two of the teammates that were aware of McElroy’s plight. Gates was diagnosed with a concussion earlier this season, so McElroy came and talked to him on Tuesday in the team’s hotel.

“He came to my room and we talked about it,” Gates told ESPNNewYork.com. “He was hurting real bad. I was like, ‘Bro, I know, I’ve been down that road already. I’m just saying you can’t try to tough it out cause you going to end up hurting yourself. You’ve got to let everybody know how you really feel.’ “

Slauson, meanwhile, told McManus that he suffered a concussion in either 2010 or 2011, about which he did not alert the Jets. But he said that McElroy’s concussion concerned him.

“He definitely has that (warrior) mentality, but it got to the point where it was scaring him,” Slauson said.

Mark Sanchez will start for the Jets now that Greg McElroy has a concussion. (Rich Schultz/Getty Images)

The drama continues to unfold with the New York Jets.

The team announced Thursday morning that third-string quarterback Greg McElroy, who was slated to get his second career start on Dec. 30, is now out with concussion-like symptoms. Head coach Rex Ryan had to decide between starting Mark Sanchez, who is having the worst season of his career, or Tim Tebow.

Ryan has decided to give the nod to Sanchez, who will start at quarterback for the Jets’ final regular season game on Sunday in Buffalo against the Bills, the team that New York beat in Week 1 of the regular season.

Ryan found out about McElroy’s condition at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday after McElroy reported headaches while lifting weights, according to a report from New York Daily News Jets beat reporter, Manish Mehta:

“There’s no way I’m going to play him. There’s no doubt. I don’t care what the tests say. We‘re going to err on the side of caution. So he definitely will be out for the game.”

Ryan said he was “stunned” to find out about the concussion-like symptoms, adding that Tebow was not happy about his decision to start Sanchez:

“Mark has had success earlier in the season against Buffalo. He’s very familiar with them. That’s the reason I’m going with Mark. I had the conversation with both Mark and Tim…. about what I was going to do. Obviously, Tim’s not happy with that. That’s what you expect.”

#RL Jets HC Rex Ryan has just announced: Greg McElroy has concussion, Mark Sanchez will start Jets' season finale @ BUF on Sunday.—
New York Jets (@nyjets) December 27, 2012

Rex found out at 9:30am mcElroy had headaches. Then Rex told Sanchez and Tebow about his decision: "Obviously Tim's not happy with that"—
Manish Mehta (@MMehtaNYDN) December 27, 2012

McElroy experienced headaches this morning while lifting weights. Right now he is won evaluated for concussion. Rex says he won't play him—
Manish Mehta (@MMehtaNYDN) December 27, 2012

This is a surreal ending to a surreal QB drama for the Jets this season. "I was stunned by it," Rex said. #nyj—
Manish Mehta (@MMehtaNYDN) December 27, 2012

Tim Tebow reportedly asked to be left out of the Jets Wildcat packages on Sunday. (Drew Hallowell/Getty Images)

Jets backup quarterback Tim Tebow asked to be taken out of the team’s Wildcat packages on Sunday, peeved at the coaching staff for passing over him in favor of Greg McElroy as the team’s starter this week.

ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini and Jane McManus reported that Tebow became so irritated that the Jets chose McElroy to start that he told the staff that he did not want to be part of the “situational” packages.

Tebow was active during the Jets’ 27-17 loss to the San Diego Chargers on Sunday, but he did not appear in the game. The Jets used wide receiver Jeremy Kerley in Wildcat packages. Kerley completed the one pass he attempted, a 42-yard strike to Clyde Gates. That outpaces Tebow’s 39 yards passing all season.

Jets head coach Rex Ryan said after the game that he used Kerley in the Wildcat formation because he wanted to catch the Chargers defense off-guard.

“I also wanted to give Kerley a shot at running some Wildcat things,” Ryan said. “We knew they wouldn’t expect him to throw the ball, and that was the case.”

When asked about Kerley’s feature in the Wildcat package, Tebow said afterward that “it just kind of happens.”

Tebow has been frustrated overall by a lack of playing time this season. He has appeared in 11 games while attempting only eight passes and 32 rushes all season.

ESPN.com’s Chris Mortensen reported on Saturday that it was a “virtual certainty” Tebow would play with the Jacksonville Jaguars next season after the Jets either trade him there or they release him.

Jets backup quarterback Tim Tebow has a lot of questions concerning his future. Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images)

New York Jets backup quarterback Tim Tebow will request to be traded or released after the season on the assumption that Greg McElroy starts the team’s final two games, reports the New York Daily News.

McElroy will start on Sunday against the San Diego Chargers, putting Mark Sanchez on the bench. The Jets (6-8) have already been eliminated from playoff contention with Monday night’s 14-10 loss to the Tennessee Titans, in which Sanchez threw four interceptions and lost a fumble.

Sanchez is guaranteed $8.25 million for next season, making it hard for the team to release him or risk taking a huge salary cap hit. NFL.com reports that it is “highly unlikely,” that Tebow will sit idle beyond this season in the wake of the team’s decision to start McElroy.

When asked about Tebow’s plan for the future, Jets head coach Rex Ryan was less than forthcoming. Tebow’s base salary for next season is scheduled to be $2.6 million.

“I can answer this question a million ways — frontward, backward, sideways, anything else,” Ryan said. “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.”

Next domino in Jets QB situation: Tim Tebow will request to be traded/released after season assuming McElroy starts last 2 games, per source—
Manish Mehta (@MMehtaNYDN) December 19, 2012

After being eliminated from playoff contention on Monday night, the New York Jets announced that backup quarterback Greg McElroy will start over Mark Sanchez in Sunday’s game against the Chargers.

The move comes the day after Sanchez threw four interceptions and fumbled the snap on a potential game-winning drive in an ugly 14-10 loss to the Titans. New York fell to 6-8, two games behind the wild card leaders.

McElroy, a seventh-round draft pick out of Alabama in 2011, has appeared in just one NFL game. During Week 13 against the Cardinals, he led the Jets on the only touchdown drive of the game, giving them a 7-6 win that allowed them to creep back into contention.

#EA Greg McElroy has been named the Jets starting QB for Sunday’s game with the San Diego Chargers.—
New York Jets (@nyjets) December 18, 2012

In the team’s past three games, Sanchez has thrown one touchdown compared to seven interceptions, although the Jets won two of those games. He owns a 67.9 quarterback rating on the season, slightly below his career rating of 72.1.

Media members, including SNY’s Adam Schein and NFL Network’s Kimberly Jones, are already questioning why the Jets continue to neglect Tim Tebow after acquiring him in the offseason for fourth and sixth round picks. McElroy was inactive the past two weeks, with Tebow serving as the backup.

McElroy goes from saving Zona game, to being inactive for 2 games, to starter. Rex has no idea how to manage a team. #snyjets—
Adam Schein (@AdamSchein) December 18, 2012

Jets name McElroy starter for Sunday. Could someone please refresh my memory: Why did they trade for Tebow?—
Kimberly Jones (@KimJonesSports) December 18, 2012

Jets head coach Rex Ryan is reportedly “leaning toward” starting Greg McElroy at quarterback over Mark Sanchez on Sunday. (Elsa/Getty Images)

New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan is “leaning toward” giving Greg McElroy the start over Mark Sanchez on Sunday when the Jets take on the Jacksonville Jaguars, CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora reported Monday night.

La Canfora reported that the debate between the Jets’ coaching staff and front office centers more on Sanchez’s value to the team. Based purely on football, he reported, most of the staff prefers McElroy at this point.

From La Canfora’s report:

The staff has noted the improved pace and verve of the offense during McElroy’s brief stint replacing starter Mark Sanchez and rallying the team for a win over Arizona. The players responded well to the novice passer in the huddle, and there was a renewed spirit from the moribund offense, which Sanchez continued to slump and turn the ball over.

One source suggested to La Canfora it was 65-35 in McElroy’s favor but noted that Ryan still was set to meet with general manager Mike Tannenbaum about the issue tonight.

The Jets trailed the Arizona Cardinals 3-0 on Sunday when Ryan benched Sanchez, who had thrown three interceptions. McElroy led a 10-play, 69-yard drive that culminated in the eventual game-winning touchdown pass early in the fourth quarter.

Earlier Monday, Ryan said that he “needed a little more time” to decide which quarterback would start the team’s next game at Jacksonville, but he said he would likely choose by Wednesday.

At 5-7, the Jets are two games behind both the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals for the AFC’s sixth and final playoff spot.

Another item of note from La Canfora’s report: Tim Tebow is not being considered as a starting option, regardless of health.