Tim Tebow: Right Place at the Right Time
There are many phrases in my life that I've sworn I'd never hear, like your dog is back from the dog farm, you've won the lottery, you've got mail, or one of my personal favorites: yes you can get married at Lambeau Field.
Now, I can add Tim Tebow is back in the NFL to that list. I never envisioned Tebow making another NFL roster not so much for lack of skill (he definitely has skill) or not willing to change positions, but more for lack of a good fit.
When Tim Tebow first started to make significant contributions to the Denver Broncos as quarterback it quickly appeared as though it was a perfect match made in odd football heaven.
I realize that there were significant flaws along with those positives of Tebow's game, often making it hard to watch at times. I realize that he has a long ways to go before he's considered a quarterback worthy of starting.
Having said all that, look at what Tebow has done in his brief stint with the Broncos. He only managed to grab the starting role and proceeded to lead the Broncos to a 7-4 record and their first playoff appearance in five years.
I'll agree it often looked like one of those colossal train wrecks you just can't look away from but the end results don't lie. He led a struggling team to the playoffs and took down a very talented Pittsburgh Steelers squad. That's the sort of performance you'd expect from a seasoned veteran, let alone a wobbly newcomer.
It's preposterous to say that the team carried Tebow and made him look better than he was. Likewise, it's also preposterous to say that Tebow carried the team and the sole reason for the success. It was in fact the perfect combination which showcased a system that fully utilized the strengths of a talented athlete destined to be quarterback, which in turn produced a winning team.
Adapting to the style of Tebow was one of the smartest decisions that the Broncos could have made (up until the signing of Payton Manning of course) which when you look back in history, is the exact pedigree of championship winning teams.
While every player should set themselves up to adapt to any team system, some players thrive better in certain systems than others. Tim Tebow works best under...well...chaos. His raw athletic talent allows for big plays and the extension of drives which fits like a glove into more mobile offenses. He's a mobile quarterback with a run and gun mentality with a plethora of tricks up his sleeve. Both the New York Jets and the New England Patriots didn't quite get that memo.
Right from the get go I could tell Tebow's time with the New England Patriots would be an extremely short one. Trying to put Tebow into the Patriots offense was like trying to put a square peg in a triangular hole and that became very apparent very quickly. An offense that focuses solely on a pocket quarterback, like Tom Brady, will never suceed with a quarterback like Tebow.
Now that he's joined the Eagles and Chip Kelly's high flying offense the future is bright for Tim Tebow. Playing in a Florida/Oregon style offense will suit him very well. I'm not sure how high Tebow's game will fly as an Eagle, but I'm willing to bet if nothing else it's a much needed start to a promising career.