With the 25th first round pick in the 2010 draft the Denver Broncos selected Tim Tebow, and so it began.
At the University of Florida, Tebow became the starting quarterback in 2007 and took the Gators to its second national championship in three years. He was the first sophomore to win the Heisman Trophy, How many NFL quarterbacks have that?
The Gators went 13-1 in 2009, his senior year and at the end of his illustrious college career, held the Southeastern Conference’s all-time records in both passing efficiency and total rushing touchdowns, second and tenth in NCAA history in these categories.
So by most accounts, he had a great college football career.
In 2011, during the Bronco’s sixth game, Denver’s record was 1-4 and with starting quarterback Kyle Orton struggling, Broncos head coach—and current New England Patriots offensive coordinator, Josh McDaniels—gave the former two-time champion the nod to start, thus giving birth to the cultural phenomenon known as Tebowmania.
In Tebow, the Broncos appeared to have finally found that never-say-die quarterback that would pull off last-second quarterbacks late in fourth quarters. Win after win, Tebow’s popularity on and off the field grew to the point that SportCenter’s NFL Primetime anchor, Chris Berman did the “We Want Tebow“ chant.
The Broncos wise decision to start Tebow allowed the team to win the AFC West and play the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC Wild Card Game. The Broncos would defeat the Steelers 29-23 to give them their first playoff win since 2005, only to lose to future teammate, Tom Brady and the New England Patriots 45-10 in the Divisional Round.
After their playoff debacle, the Broncos would pick up Peyton Manning and trade Tebow to one of the worst teams in the NFL in the New York Jets. It really did not make any sense, most teams bring in a seasoned veteran to help mentor and teach a young rookie quarterback, instead the Broncos did the worst thing in shipping Tebow off to New York.
In my eyes, it would have more sense to keep Tebow and make him the backup instead.
When in New York, Jets special teams coach Mike Westhoff suggested Tebow be used in special teams while head coach Rex Ryan and offensive coordinator Tony Sparano stated that he would be used in wildcat formations. The presence of Tebow throughout the season created a buzz as both the fans and media called for Ryan to bench starter Mark Sanchez in favor of Tebow.
Tebow’s numbers for one season in New York were awful as he would only throw eight passes and rush the ball 32 times. In the end, it all came down to a horrible and incompetent coaching staff that failed to use Tebow effectively.
During the season, Sanchez led the league in interceptions but they cut Tebow?
Why?
The city of Los Angeles wants a NFL team desperately, I believe it should be the Jets as they tend to make terrible decisions in both player personnel, free agency and live forever in the shadows of their more successful roommates, the New York Giants.
Tebow landing with the Patriots and in the same division as the Jets, gives him two chances to remind New York of the mistake that they made, and a chance to witness his special skill set, when used in a more structured environment in Foxboro, under a real coach in Bill Belichick and in a more dynamic and open offense under his former head coach in Denver in McDaniels.
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