If You Were an NFL GM, Would You Sign Tim Tebow?

by Kent Sterling

UnknownBe honest.  If your job was to assemble a winning team in the NFL, would you sign currently unemployed quarterback Tim Tebow?

Most GMs would sell their children for another win or two, so if Tebow was a guy who could provide that, he would have a gig.  All else being equal though, there is no chance that a GM is going to invite endless national media scrutiny, phone calls, and the irrational level of support Tebow prompts.

When the point that Tebow places last in completion percentage for any quarterback who has started 14 games since 2010 is answered by, “Well, he’s a great Christian who has won!” or worse, “He won at Florida!”, a smart person knows any chance for a reasonable discussion is over.

When it’s mentioned that once the NFL figured out how to defend the Tebow led offense, the Denver Broncos went 1-4, the answer is always that the one win was in the playoffs against Pittsburgh.

To make this extra simple, let’s remove all the mechanical issues about his arm motion and lack of accuracy – although those are certainly the primary issue in explaining the reluctance of NFL GMs in welcoming Tebow to his third team in four seasons.

The reason teams will avoid Tebow like the plague, ironically, is the plague of his supporters who will not stop their incessant jabbering about how Tebow is never given the right opportunity with the right team at the right time.  Because he leads such an upstanding and chaste life, Tebow is deserving of a chance to be his best chance to win.

They are like a million cackling youth sports parents who won’t stop whining to coaches that their little Timmy doesn’t get what he deserves because no one understands how special he is.

Never mind that the coach has no skin in the game, and wants only what’s best for the team.  He’s an idiot because a son is by definition better than his parents.

Parents are the worst part of youth sports for the same reason Tebow supporters are the worst part of doing business with Tebow.  They believe that with volume + number of fans = logic, and GMs who would buy into that kind of math are doomed.

1070 The Fan’s Dan Dakich has spent a lot of time talking about a caller he dealt with this week by saying, “You can’t argue with stupid.”  He’s right, but it’s broader than that.  You can’t argue with passion – whether it’s for a team, religion, nationality, or other polarizing belief.

People who share beliefs are smart, and people who believe the opposite are morons.  Most of the world’s wars have started as a result of sparring beliefs, and Tebow’s presence on a team invites the passionate support that makes not playing a guy miserable.

A group in Jacksonville sealed Tebow’s fate as a guy who will never play for the Jaguars by starting a petition on www.whitehouse.org.  Football players whose fans start petitions to get them a job are never good candidates.

The kind of people who believe a petition will change the mind of a guy trusted to run an NFL franchise likely worth more than $1-billion (20 are currently at or above that level) are never going to be deterred on their quest, and sadly for Tebow, that makes a career as a quarterback impossible.

The fans of Tebow are to Tebow what Sarah Palin is to the Republican Party.  The guilt by association is too powerful to overcome.

4 thoughts on “If You Were an NFL GM, Would You Sign Tim Tebow?

  1. Jim Bean

    This article is factually incorrect and is just hating on a good quarterback. Tebow is 9-7 as a starter since 2010 which is a lot better than a lot of QBs in the league. He has 5 games with a 100 qb rating or higher including not PITT but Minnesota at 150 as the highest. Included in the 9 wins is 7 game winning drives.

    Per Joe Montana (4 super bowls), Tebow’s throwing motion is fine.
    http://content.usatoday.com/communities/gameon/post/2011/08/joe-montana-tim-tebow-throwing-motion/1#.UYwK_0ok-Sp

    The haters focus on completion percentage. However, this is not as nearly as significant as TD/INT ratio. Tebow ranks near the top of the league for 2011. What is his QB rating in the playoffs? 2nd highest in the NFL for 2011 including the NE game. Whats his completion % in the 4th quarter when it matters? A LOT higher than you think. Tebow is near perfect in the 4th quarter. He is good under pressure.

    Another Hall of Famer (3 super bowls) Mike Ditka thinks Tebow is a good QB and would take him to build a winning team:
    http://ftw.usatoday.com/2013/05/mike-ditka-i-would-take-a-chance-on-tebow-at-quarterback/

    The haters spit out garbage that is factually untrue.

    Its not the Tebow supporters as a reason that he isn’t playing. Its a result of the Tebow haters. Do you think Elway hates Tebow? Yes. Do you think Rex Ryan hates Tebow? Yes Do you think Jets players were Jealous haters (Slausen)? Yes Do you think there are haters that say untrue things about Tebow?

    Sign the new petition:
    http://www.change.org/petitions/jacksonville-jaguars-gm-david-caldwell-sign-tim-tebow?utm_source=guides&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=petition_created

    Reply
    1. kentsterling Post author

      I’m curious which of the facts are incorrect as there were very few facts listed. Here are some –

      Tebow was 1-4 in his last four starts.
      Tebow’s completion percentage is the lowest among all QBs to start 14 games since 2010.
      Ditka likes Christians to eat at his restaurant in Chicago, and doesn’t want to be the next Merril Hoge at ESPN.
      Unlike many ‘good’ quarterbacks, Tebow is unemployed.
      Tebow is not inept, just not one of the best 32 in the world.

      GMs and coaches don’t hate, love, like, or dislike players – they evaluate their ability to help their team win.

      Like Dakich says, you can’t argue with stupid.

      Reply
  2. Jeff Gregory

    I would sign Tebow, but it would be on my terms – not his. If he will only sign with a team as a true quarterback, then I would point him to Canada and wish him luck. However, I do believe that Tebow could be an X-factor type player. He can play H-back, wildcat, TE, or WR. I think he could add an extra dimension to an offense. Down the road, I believe he would be a good locker room guy, too. SO, yes – for the right price and under my terms, I would sign him.

    Reply
  3. Dante marchitelli

    I would sign him because he is a plain winner which you can’t teach. Plus he is good of Anough too start. Also he can make a 4th quarter comeback

    Reply

Leave a Reply to kentsterling Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *