x 5px;”>I want to start this post off saying that I love Tim Tebow. I think he is a talented athlete and accomplished football player. I am grateful for the wins and enthusiasm he brought to the Denver Broncos last year.
I also want to say that I love Peyton Manning. I’ve been a Manning fan for most of his career. On my list he is the greatest quarterback to ever play the game (hey, it’s my list. If you don’t agree, make your own list) I am nearly beside myself with excitement to see Peyton in Broncos Orange.
OK, with that out of the way, I want to make some comments on the recent Manning signing in the Broncos. If you don’t live in Colorado or have about 100 Facebook friends that are Broncos fans, you may not know this, but the Bronco Nation is up in arms about this trade. So many people love and respect Tebow for his beliefs and his off the field persona, as well as his ability to lead the team to 9 wins last year, that they are stunned that the Broncos brought in another quarterback.
Just to explain it to all of you non-football fans that love the Broncos because of Tebow and think John Elway hates Jesus because he brought Peyton Manning to Denver here is why Tebow won’t be starting for Denver this fall. Tebow can’t throw.
There, I said it. Tebow can’t throw. Actually, that’s not true. He can throw, better than me, better than anyone else I personally know, probably better than you. Unfortunately there are 40 or 50 guys playing in the NFL right now that can throw better than Tebow can. He has every other skill that is needed to lead a team in the NFL, but to be a quarterback at this level you have to throw and complete passes.
If Tebow could throw he could probably be the next Michael Vick, Fran Tarkenton, Steve Young, Randall Cunningham, maybe even John Elway.
In the 2011 season Tebow played in 12 games. He threw 271 times or an average of about 22 throws per game. He had a completion percentage of 46.5%. He made 126 completions or about 10 per game for a passer rating of 72.9%. Let’s compare him with division rival Phillip Rivers, a good, but certainly not elite NFL QB. Rivers averaged 36 passes per game and 22 completions per game. He completed as many passes as Tebow threw and had a passer rating of 88.7%. Tebows passer rating put him at number 28 on a list of starting quarterbacks last year, just ahead of Rex Grossman.
Can Tebow improve? Maybe, but honestly there are only three or four guys in the bottom 12 of that list who are going to be starting next year. Peyton, who is replacing him, has a lifetime passer rating of 94.9.
The thing is Tim shouldn’t feel bad about this. He is a member of an elite club of maybe 50 guys who got to play quarterback in the NFL last year. He made over 8.5 Million dollars, that
will send a lot of food to Africa or whatever he wants to do with it.
It’s time Tim changes his dream. He could be a fantastic player at Fullback or Tight End, he has the size, he has the speed, he has the winning attitude. He could have a great career
in a position where you don’t have to throw and he should grab on to it rather than try to force someone to take him on as quarterback. The NFL unfortunately is different than the NCAA. Running a full on option offense will be tremendously difficult and puts too much risk on your star player. As much as I would like to see that team, I don’t think anyone will try it. Jacksonville might, but that’s a big risk for a new owner who has already made some missteps to make.
So here is my comment to Tebow. Tim, stay in Denver. Play Tight End or Fullback or something. Put that amazing speed to work. Take an occasional wildcat snap so you can throw it back to Peyton for a Touchdown. You make the game exciting and fun and I don’t want to see you leave.
