May 3, 2013
If there was ever a definitive answer to illustrate the difference in talent, complexity, and physicality between the college game and the NFL one should look no further than Tim Tebow. Even those who don’t watch Division I football know of Tebow’s heroics. The dichotomy to Jim Everett, Tebow trucked more safeties than Jerome Bettis. He didn’t just act tough, he played tough when he continued to terrorize the Florida Seminoles in a 2007 game after he fractured his non-throwing hand in the 3rd quarter, despite a 19 point lead. Remember when the Gators lost to Mississippi? Tebow gave arguably one of the greatest motivational speeches of all time (you can read it on a plaque on Florida’s campus), and then preceded to back up that speech by going undefeated the rest of the season, winning the next 11 games including the BCS championship, and outscoring opponents 469 to 131 over that span. We haven’t even gawked over the fact he won another BCS championship, was a Heisman winner, had a couple SEC championships, a slew of All-American awards, and… Well, you get the point, which is that
Tim Tebow was arguably one of the best college football players in history.
Fast forward to the present with three NFL seasons under Tebow’s belt, and things have not gone nearly as well for him. The reasons are numerous, take your pick: bad footwork, elongated throwing motion, can’t read NFL defenses, accuracy worse than Mark Sanchez, and an inability to transition to a pro offense. Even after a Cinderella season in 2011 in which he helped Denver to the playoffs with some voodoo magic (the league’s best rushing attack didn’t hurt either), including a win over the Steelers in the wild card round, teams simply didn’t view him as a legitimate QB in the National Football League. Still, whether you think the reason was to sell more tickets, breathe life into a dead offensive gimmick named the Wildcat, or give Mark Sanchez some competition, the Jets traded their fourth and sixth round picks in 2012 for Tebow and Denver’s seventh round pick. The results were disastrous. The media circus that ensued throughout the season calling for Tebow to replace struggling starting QB Mark Sanchez didn’t quiet down when Head Coach Rex Ryan pulled Sanchez in favor of 2011 seventh round pick Greg McElroy. Tebow was used sparingly as a gimmick and contributed little to the already floundering Jets offense before eventually being cut this off-season.
The question now remains, where does Tebow land? Vinny Testaverde believes after some footwork training that Tebow is ready to play quarterback in the NFL while Warren Moon doesn’t even think Tebow can play in the CFL. To end up with another NFL contract, Tebow might have to do something he has previously sworn against: change positions. Teams are weary not only of his lack of quarterback skills but also the distraction his presence can cause for the locker room. Any team that signs him to their roster has to know that there’s a good chance that Tebow will garner more media attention than their starting quarterback, which can and will cause rifts with teammates just like it did in New York. That’s not conducive to winning games.
The fact of the matter is, Tebow needs to change positions. His combine workout in 2010 shows he has the athleticism to do so and moving to the tight end position should get him more looks from teams worried about him breathing down the necks of other quarterbacks on the roster with the media not far behind. If there’s one team that loves versatility and tight ends, it’s the New England Patriots who have a soft spot for stockpiling them. With the success they have had in two TE sets, more teams around the league are also looking for tight ends even if they have a solid starter. The Dallas Cowboys have recently professed they would be transitioning to a two TE base offense and we all know Jerry Jones loves hype so don’t rule out seeing Tebow in Dallas this upcoming season either. The bottom line is that unless he is open to changing positions, Tebow might not be spending this fall in an NFL uniform.
