by Brent Lee
The 2007 Heisman Trophy winner debuted with the New England Patriots last Friday night, which resulted in a familiar smelling stench: absolute stinkage. Belichick has been coy with the media regarding Tebow's playing time and also with the player himself. Tim ended the game with a dismal 4 of 12 for 55 yards, demonstrating throughout the game that his pocket passing is still in dire need of development. The reunion with former Broncos coach and current Patriots offensive coordinator, Josh McDaniels, and Tim Tebow has not been a happy one yet so far.
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| Tebow's first pass of the game is thrown short to the wide open receiver. |
The Patriots management started pushing Tebow gear early in the
off-season, and it makes total sense. With the cult of followers Tebow has, I'd do the exact same
thing. From his improbable playoff comeback as a Denver Bronco to his unwavering Christian faith, it is obvious why he has some of the most undying support from his cult of followers.
Bill Belichick may be a football mastermind, but has he finally met his greatest challenge? Tebow came cheap at the base salary of $630,000, but is he worth all the trouble? Sure, he'll increase revenue by boosting ticket and jersey sales from those crazed Gators fans, but at the end of the day, his presence on the field and in the locker room will serve as more of a distraction than a benefit to this Superbowl hopeful team.
Belichick does not need to prove to anyone that he can make Tim Tebow into a NFL quarterback or a NFL player for that matter. Tebow's contract is NOT guaranteed. If Tebow does not make the 53 man roster before regular season starts, he can kiss that base salary goodbye and any chances of becoming besties with Tom Brady will be forever squandered. But there may be more than to Tim Tebow that meets the eye.
With the Aaron Hernandez hoopla, the Pats are in dire need of a positive locker room presence. Tebow's former Gator teammate has been involved in a murder case and has brought a lot of negative media attention to New England. Though Tebow Mania commands the attention of a plethora of sports and news media, he in fact is a positive influence on a locker room. The New England Patriots' expectations of Tebow may more likely come behind the scenes than on the field. His work ethic and his game approach are two intangibles that cannot be coached. It is easy to overlook Tebow and his unorthodox throwing mechanics, but one thing is for sure, the man is determined and has great potential to grow. His ability to play the read-option offense can be an absolute nightmare for defenses (think RGIII, Russell Wilson, and Colin Kaepernick). He can be a valuable asset to McDaniel's offense. Don't be surprised to see Tebow lineup for special teams and possibly tight end.
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| Tebow seems to be more interested in talking to media than "playing football". |
Maybe the most important thing to note is that second string quarterback, Ryan Mallett, will be a free agent in 2014. It is almost certain that Mallett will leave via free agency or will be traded mid-season. All eyes will be focused on Tebow this preseason. With the media scrutiny off the field and the coaches hawking his every move on the field, Tebow will have his hands full this upcoming season, wherever he dons a uniform. Chances are that
Tebow will remain on the team for the duration of his two year contract.
He is more marketable than the Geico gecko and the Aflac duck combined.
Tebow could end up being one of the most profitable bench players in
the history of the sport. Moving forward, it is hard to see that the Pats will release this precious cash-cow in Tim Tebow.
Tim Tebow is his own worst enemy. Tebow claims he just "wants to play football". He maintains that he wants to develop into a NFL quarter rather than switching to another position. Well this third-string "quarterback" better get used to riding the pine all season. This may be his last opportunity to prove that he can play; otherwise, his next stop will be Tebow-ing in church while preaching the Gospel. Instead of saying Tebow Time, people will be chanting "Tebow, TIME TO GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE!"
"It's personal with Alex. It probably is different in that way. And, (I) feel like there's a great friendship there and a lot of history. He's a unique person -- very good, in all ways, a good friend."
One of the most intriguing players after Week 1 was B.J. Daniels. A seventh-round draft pick from South Florida, Daniels is listed as a quarterback but lined up once as a running back and was on special teams against the Broncos. Offensive Coordinator Greg Roman has been very innovative in his offensive formations, and perhaps Daniels can be serve as a do-it all guy.
