Prior to the 2010 NFL Draft, no prospect had ever been more dissected or talked about than Tim Tebow. Whether it be his throwing motion, accuracy, mechanics, or fundamentals, Tebow had become the most interesting and controversial draft prospect of his generation. As we all know, Tebow became a Denver Bronco. His rookie season came and went and his 2011 potential was one of the key storylines of the lockout offseason. As things currently stand, Tebow appears to be the 3rd string Quarterback in Denver---maybe even the 4th string, depending on which source you believe is the most credible.
From a distance, the every day fan would say that Tebow is struggling so far in his second season. That person would be correct. Dig a little deeper, however, and one will see that not only is Tebow fighting an uphill battle on the field, he is facing an overwhelming hatred off of it. Whether it be his coaching staff, the media, or the national fanbase, the anti-Tim Tebow summer of 2011 has become one of the most biased and disrespectful endeavors in recent memory.
It is widely understood that rookie quarterbacks are usually not successful during their first year in the NFL. While the game has become more passer friendly, rookie quarterbacks have seen a greater deal of success and the developmental process has been revolutionized. Young stars like Matt Ryan, Joe Flacco, Mark Sanchez, Josh Freeman, Matt Stafford, and Sam Bradford all had different levels of success as rookie starters during their first season.
Even though his sample size was not nearly as big as the Quarterbacks mentioned above, Tim Tebow experienced similar levels of success during his rookie season, or so one would think.
- More touchdown passes than interceptions? Check
- 300 yards passing in one game? Check
- 3 touchdowns in one game? Check
- Leading his team to a 4th quarter comeback? Check
Though Tebow started only 3 games for a Broncos team that was 3-10 when he took over, he was able to accomplish all of these feats in a mere 180 minutes of playing time. The Broncos offense averaged over 5 more points per game with Tebow under center as opposed to Kyle Orton.
Did Tebow have a successful rookie season? Consider the fact that he was playing with an awful football team that ranked dead last in total defense and 31st in rushing offense. Keep in mind that he was playing under a interim head coach after Josh McDaniels was fired after 12 weeks. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, Tebow was supposed to be a developmental prospect that would take 2-3 years to master the NFL game.
In three starts, Tebow compiled 654 yards passing, 199 yards rushing, 7 total touchdowns, and an 82.1 QB rating. That is an average of over 200 yards passing, 66 yards rushing, and 2 touchdowns per game. In my book, thats a successful rookie season for any quarterback.
Pro football analysts are paid to give their opinions. Some of the time their predictions and right and some of the time they are wrong. That is the nature of the business. The problem in this situation, however, is that after only one season, NFL analysts are pouncing on Tebow at an alarming rate, stating that he cannot play in this league. What has Tim Tebow done at age 24 to make anyone believe that he has no chance to be a successful NFL quarterback? Is it fine to say that he might not overcome his weaknesses and be an above average NFL starter someday? Absolutely. Is it fair to say that he has already proven that he is a failure? No chance in hell.
Whether it be ESPN analyst Merril Hoge saying that "It's embarrassing to think that the Broncos could win with Tim Tebow" or CBS analyst/WFAN radio host Boomer Esiason saying that "He can't play. He can't throw. What Josh McDaniels saw in him God only knows. Maybe God does know-because the rest of us don't." Tebow is facing the harshest possible criticisms that are all completely undeserved.
In 2009, Matt Stafford, Mark Sanchez, and Josh Freeman all threw 5 interceptions in a single game during their rookie seasons. No one said they could never make it in this league. On the contrary, people are saying Tebow will
never make it in this league. There is no ground to stand on that makes that a viable opinion.
Why has everyone taken such joy in ripping Tebow? The answer may be obvious. Because Tebow was the golden boy in college and because he wears his religious beliefs on his sleeve, the majority of Americans want to see Tebow fail. That may be harsh but with every passing day that statement seems to become more true.
Even the Denver Broncos organization has gone to unethical limits to embarrass their once "franchise quarterback." He is now behind Brady Quinn and Adam Weber on the quarterback depth chart.
Really? Tebow has accomplished more in one season than Brady Quinn has accomplished in four. Adam Weber is an undrafted quarterback out of Minnesota who is the all time interceptions leader in the Big Ten.
People also need to remember that it is not a big deal that Tebow is not going to open the 2011 season as the Broncos starting quarterback. He is a long way behind Kyle Orton. In the last two years, Orton has thrown 41 touchdown passes with only 21 interceptions. Most people would tell you that Kyle Orton is a top 15 NFL quarterback. It is not a detriment on Tebow that he was unable to win the starting job from Orton so soon.
The latest rumors have it that the Broncos will soon release or trade Tebow before the season begins. My hope is that they do. The Broncos married Tebow and dumped him before the honeymoon even took place. No rookie should be treated that way, especially one that played well in his limited opportunities.
For his sake, Tebow needs this summer of hatred to end soon. It has reached ridiculous levels and maybe---hopefully the American public can find someone new to hate. Ten years from now, we may remember Tebow as a bust, but let him become a bust before we declare him one.
