Will Tim Tebow Play in NFL Ever Again?
Though a full blown conspiracy by the NFL may be in doubt, the fact that unashamed Christian QB Tim Tebow has not been picked up by any team since he was let go by the N.Y. Jets more than two weeks ago leaves room for speculation. Regardless of whether Tebow has been blackballed from the NFL or not, teams from alternative leagues like the Arena Football League have shown an interest in him.
The co-owner of the Philadelphia Soul, ESPN analyst Ron Jaworski, says he's interested in offering a job to the free-agent quarterback, according to Sporting News. Tebow has not responded, however. Jaworski reportedly said, "I'd love to have him."
"I haven't heard back from him, and I'm not going to push it," Jaworski said. "If he decides he wants to play Arena Football, we'll make a spot for him."
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The offer still might not be a satisfying one for Tebow as the Soul is already settled on a starting quarterback, and Jaworski is voicing a familiar refrain – the possibility of using him in formations "around the goal line," the Sporting News reports.
Arena football is a faster paced style of football with more passing on a smaller field and that could be an advantage for Tebow, according to Jaworski, a former NFL quarterback.
"He would be forced to quicken it up in this league, and it would be good training for him," Jaworski said. "You can learn a lot in this league. It's about processing information and getting the ball out … or you get whacked."
The list of potential NFL teams interested in Tebow appears to be growing smaller each day.
The Cleveland Browns' GM, Mike Lombardi, said following a luncheon at the Pro Football Hall of Fame Club, that Tebow needs to go "somewhere where he can develop as a passer," CBSSports.com reported.
"I think Tim Tebow's a great kid. Unfortunately, I think Tim has to get somewhere where he can develop as a passer. It's a passing league," Lombardi said. "Last year there was only one team in the NFL that ran the ball in the first half more than it threw. One."
He added, "When you commit to Tim, like Denver did the last eight games of the 2011 season, you're committing to that whole style of play," Lombardi said. "It's all or nothing. And that becomes very difficult. That's kind of not the vision of where we're headed."
Sports analyst Will Brinson, in his story about Lombardi's comments, wrote, "A vision involving Tebow is something that a lot of teams don't seem interested in at the moment. Even a club like the Patriots or Packers, who would present a quality scenario for Tebow to sit and improve with a locked-in starter, probably won't want to deal with the circus that comes along with Tebow. (Or maybe they 'hate' him.)"
Brinson stated that "there's a very real chance we might not see him in the NFL when the 2013 season begins."
From all the speculation and analyzing about Tebow, a former Denver Broncos fan perhaps summed up the situation best.
"What did Tim Tebow do wrong – nothing," wrote Nancy Ickes in a letter to the Colorado Springs newspaper The Gazette.
Among her other talking points, she stated, "The Jets hardly used Tebow so why did they take him? The Jets wanted those better draft numbers that's why. They never intended to use Tebow. The Jets are stupid and Rex Ryan, their coach, is an idiot!"
