As a hot, soaking summer winds it way to a conclusion, Tim Tebow once again finds himself fighting for his NFL life.
This could be the end – or a new beginning – in the National Football League for the former Heisman Trophy winning quarterback at the University of Florida.
Tebow is currently a fourth-string quarterback with the Philadelphia Eagles, his third NFL team. He hasn’t played in two years.
Doesn’t matter.
Tebow will make it.
I, like so many others who watched Tebow create football magic with the Gators with his talent, personality and faith, am pulling for him to land the job.
I believe Tebow, who spent much of the last year working hard to improve his game with quarterback guru and former major league pitcher Tom House, will beat the odds. He will win a spot on the Eagles’ roster.
“Being able to work with Tom, I feel like I just keep getting better,” Tebow told CSN Philly recently. “I just tried to go over and over everything and work on my footwork and drills and everything so it comes a little more second nature.”
This might surprise his critics, like one sportscaster who called Tebow a “phony.” He was labeled as “terrible” by an unidentified New York Jets’ teammate. Plenty more verbalarrows were fired at Tebow, and he became the NFL’s favorite whipping boy.
Seldom, has one athlete been the object of such scorn after having so much success.
But for true believers, Tim Tebow is no joke, His work ethic and leadership qualities are as indisputable as his Christian faith. It was his pass delivery that caused problems for NFL scouts, coaches and players.
Now after a year working with House, Tebow, 27, has altered his throwing style. In many ways, it’s a new Tebow, and nobody is laughing anymore.
In a recent Eagles practice, Tebow completed 11 of 14 passes. “He was throwing the ball really well,” Eagles Coach Chip Kelly told reporters. “He’s progressed. He’s really progressed.
Many were surprised Kelly would even give Tebow a tryout. The Eagles already have three experienced quarterbacks on their roster: starter Sam Bradford, Mark Sanchez and Matt Barkley.
Tebow seems to be the odd man out. Hard to believe this is the same man who led the Florida Gators to a couple national championships and the Denver Broncos to a playoff victory. Soon after that playoff game, the Broncos signed Peyton Manning and Tebow was shipped to the New York Jets where he self-destructed under Coach Rex Ryan.
But here it is, the Summer of ’15, and Tebow is in the mix for an NFL job. Kelly may be the perfect coach for him. Kelly won college games at Oregon with a fast-paced, wide-open system. Tebow would be a perfect fit, as a change-of-pace quarterback sub for Bradford.
Also, Kelly, like Patriots Coach Bill Belichick is an iconoclast and control freak. He insists players fit his system and play his way. Kelly has dumped such All-Pro players as LeSean McCoy, Evan Mathis and DeSean Jackson who wouldn’t meet his standards.
Now, Kelly finds himself with Tebow and the unlikely pairing just might work.
“This is the optimal place for Tebow,” an NFL insider told ESPN. “The system ‘creates’ the reads and it has run-centric options for the quarterback. He simply has to make basic plays with his arm and he could stick. And if he starts clicking in that offense, it could be Florida revisited.”
One Eagles teammate, Brandon Graham, said in a radio interview, “Tebow is going to shock a lot of people because he’s going to make the team. And I think he will play a lot.”
It’s a long way until September and Tebow is still No. 4 on the depth chart. Bradford, picked up in an off-season trade with the St. Louis Rams, will start. But Bradford has suffered two knee injuries during the past two seasons.
Tebow, who left a cushy television sportscasting job for this opportunity, hasn’t played in two years.
But, like the old Journey song says, I can’t stop believing in Tim Tebow.
He’s the kind of athlete who keeps the faith.
Tony Violanti writes for Villages-News.com.