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HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. (AP) -The New York Jets' quarterback competition officially started with a coin toss.
Offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer flipped a coin Monday and asked Chad Pennington to call it in the air. The winner would earn the right to work with the first-team offense on the opening day of organized team activities.
"Chad called heads and I thought I had a good chance because I'm a guy that generally calls tails," Kellen Clemens said Thursday after the Jets' third OTA session, but first open to the media. "It was heads all the way."
Score one for Pennington, who spent the offseason hearing trade rumors and wondering what his role would be if he remained with New York. Well, he's still with the Jets - a surprise to some - and hasn't considered whether he'd accept being a backup this year.
"That's just not in my thought process," said Pennington, entering his ninth season. "I think anytime you think about that, you're already there."
So begins what's expected to be a summer-long competition between Pennington and Clemens for the starting job.
"It's been clearly communicated there's a quarterback controversy right now, an awesome competition," Clemens said.
When asked if it's actually a controversy, Clemens quickly backtracked.
"I used the wrong word on that," said Clemens who started seven of the final eight games last season. "It's a competition. It really is. Some people will try to make it a controversy between Chad and I. It's a friendly competition."
Neither quarterback had numbers to be excited about last season. Pennington threw for 1,765 yards, 10 touchdowns and nine interceptions, while Clemens had 1,529 yards passing with five TDs and 10 INTs in his second NFL season. The Jets improved their offensive line this offseason, signing left guard Alan Faneca and right tackle Damien Woody, which could open the running game more - and, in turn, help the passing game.
"A quarterback controversy is not new to me," said Faneca, who saw his share of them with Pittsburgh. "I've seen it work out well, and it's a part of this business."
Pennington, who turns 32 next month, was benched in Week 9 and appeared to have played his last game for New York against Tennessee in Week 16 while filling in for an injured Clemens. At the scouting combine in February, Pennington's agent, Tom Condon, and Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum discussed whether the team intended to deal the quarterback. New York had no plans to do so, and Pennington made no trade demands.
"You know what? This is the place for me to be," Pennington said. "I feel good about my situation."
Stick Michael 
