It’s not his fault. Quarterback Tim Tebow (he is still a quarterback, right?) just wanted to play football. But his character, faith and collegiate success catapulted him from being a good football player to a walking, breathing, media frenzy with an army of fanatical supporters who were willing to go to any length to force their beloved star into the lineup.
It only got worse when things clicked in Denver, and Tebow proceeded to guide the Broncos on an electrifying run that included an overtime postseason victory over the defending AFC Champion Pittsburgh Steelers.
But the former Heisman Trophy-winner has fallen far from the pedestal upon which he stood just two seasons ago. Following their thrilling postseason run in 2011, the Broncos could not wait to unload their leader in favor of the legendary Peyton Manning. Since then, Tebow’s professional career has been on a downward spiral.
Once a starting quarterback for a playoff contender, he is no longer even guaranteed a roster spot on the NFL’s worst teams. At one point a media darling, he is now a despised, mocked and scoffed at circus freak, with nothing positive to offer on the football field… at least in the eyes of most coaches, scouts and analysts.
That has to upset the collegiate megastar and 2010 first round pick.
His 2012 season with the New York Jets was likely the equivalent to football hell for the outspoken Christian icon. His presence was used by the team merely as an opportunity to garner headlines in the New York Post while ESPN planted a permanent tent in Florham Park, New Jersey during training camp.
Tim Tebow was a marketing ploy. That could not have been more obvious than when the regular season began and he rarely saw the field. Certainly, the unconventional quarterback could use some improvement, but when the Jets refused to use him even as starter Mark Sanchez floundered in embarrassing fashion, the message was clear: Tebow was not brought in to actually play football.
Over the course of the season, the Florida grad earned new haters. Some of it because of his openness about his faith. Most of it because of the media and sports fans’ obsession with him, despite accomplishing so little in his young NFL playing career.
Maybe he doesn’t have the abilities to play as a quarterback in the NFL. Were it not for the hysteria that continues to surround him, he might’ve had more opportunities to prove himself — one way or another.
New England is a chance for Tebow to be reborn. The Patriots signed the 25-year-old to a two-year contract with no guaranteed money. With future Hall of Famer Tom Brady the incumbent starter, there’s no chance Tebow will usurp the role for himself as quarterback. Plus, the team is also quite high on backup Ryan Mallett, who wears Tebow’s No. 15.
In New England, he’s never going to be faced with the same type of media scrum he had to deal with daily in New York. Coach Bill Belichick will never allow it. No. It’s going to be all business for Tebow and the Patriots and he will have the opportunity to work with some of the NFL’s best coaches and players. Perhaps he’ll even pick up some valuable tools along the way that — if he’s not in New England for the long haul — he can take with him to another team.
Can he play quarterback in the NFL? Most say no. Belichick and the Patriots wish to see for themselves.
This is Tebow’s chance to prove he still has something to offer at the professional level. It could last two days, it could last two years. Ultimately, it will be this summer that decides his fate as a NFL football player.
Louis Musto is a reporter and sports talk host for the Sports Journey Broadcast Network. You can follow him on Twitter @LouisMusto.