- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
It was a week or so before the NFL draft, and guess who was the most talked about quarterback?
Jameis Winston? Marcus Mariota? Some obscure gunslinger from a Division III school in New Hampshire?
No, Tim Tebow.
The announcement that Tebow had signed a one-year deal with the Philadelphia Eagles sent the NFL’s 24/7/365 news cycle into a frenzy.
American football’s closest thing to Kim Kardashian is back, and once again he has fans and the media scratching their heads.
What is Chip Kelly up to? Why would the Eagles sign a guy who can’t throw? Hasn’t Mark Sanchez been through enough drama with Tebow already?
Jay Feely, a kicker – yes, a guy who’s only job is to kick a football – went on national television and told Jim Rome that Tebow was the worst NFL quarterback he’s ever seen.
On the flip side, entire essays were written about how the signing was a brilliant proactive move in preparation for the NFL’s upcoming changes to the extra point.
So what’s the real deal?
It’s April. That’s the real deal.
There are at least three months to go before anyone has to worry about whether or not Tebow will be putting on a green, white and black uniform and actually playing a regular-season game.
At this point, the ex-Heisman Trophy winner is just another arm brought in to throw balls to Philly’s wideouts in the off-season. If you check the team’s depth chart, Tebow is listed fourth behind Sam Bradford, Mark Sanchez and Matt Barkley.
He’s just ahead of a guy named GJ Kinne. Just FYI, that’s not the Kinne guy who has a comedy show on 7Mate.
In other words, Tebow is being given a chance to make the roster. That’s all. Just like Jarryd Hayne and hundreds of other players signed in the past couple of months.
This is a far cry from the Tim Tebow who became a cult hero and fan favourite after salvaging the Denver Broncos’ season in 2011.
It’s a long, long way from the Tim Tebow who created a media circus after being traded to the New York Jets and disrupting a fragile locker room that included the aforementioned Sanchez.
Furthermore, he wasn’t signed to save the franchise or to boost season ticket sales. The Eagles are coming off a 10-6 season in which they narrowly missed out on a playoff spot. They played in front of sellouts of nearly 70,000 fans every week.
No, this is a different time and if you listen to what the Eagles’ player personnel people say, a different Tebow. They say his mechanics have changed and he looks far better than the last time he was in an NFL camp, which was with the Patriots in 2013.
The signing fits in with the M.O. of head coach Chip Kelly, who has been wheeling and dealing in the offseason. He’s already traded star running back LeSean McCoy and one-time starting quarterback Nick Foles.
Unlike a number of NFL players, Tebow is a decent human being who by all accounts is a hard worker and a good teammate. It’s unlikely that a fourth string quarterback signed in April is going to affect team chemistry in September.
On the other hand, few see Tebow as an ordinary player, and for a number of reasons he incites irrational responses from many in and around NFL circles.
The fact that he’s a high-profile Christian bothers some. Never mind that Tebow grew up with missionary parents and gives his time and money to various causes, he’s still lumped in with the “I want to thank God for helping me catch that 20-yard post-corner touchdown” crowd.
His quarterbacking ability – or lack thereof – is also a talking point, especially when he continues to get opportunities with new clubs.
But Tebow is a very good athlete and a guy who is comfortable on the big stage. If indeed his throwing mechanics have improved, he’d make a handy third quarterback to have around.
Keep in mind, after injuries to Carson Palmer and Drew Stanton last season, Arizona chose to sign and bring in free agent Ryan Lindley rather than start rookie third stringer Logan Thomas.
But let’s not worry about the details – including the two-point conversion conspiracy theories – right now.
The regular season is a long way away and if you think Tebow is going to destroy the 2015 Philadelphia Eagles, then you’ve got plenty of time to get worked up about it.
Hey, supercoach? Choose your own ultimate NFL team and compete with other players for cash prizes in daily competitions on any match. If you’re after the best odds on the NFL, PlayUp is your best bet. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.