Once again, Tebow haters can’t seem to figure out what is wildly obvious
May 21, 2021, 11:00 AM
The haters were out in full force again this week. As soon as it became official that Tim Tebow was signing with the Jaguars, trying to resurrect his career as a tight end in Jacksonville, social media lit up with snarky comments.
Some were directed at the former quarterback. They laughed at his abilities. They doubted his chances of making the roster. They questioned the motivation of both the Jaguars and Tebow.
But those weren’t the only targets. People also poked fun of the fans who support Tebow.
Again, I’m not a big Tebow fan. Great person, overrated player, weird fans. However, I don’t get the anger over his getting a chance. This is a dream that so many people have. Let him chase it.
— Jason Cole (@JasonCole62) May 20, 2021
This is nothing new. When Tebow was the QB in Denver, plenty of journalists dubbed his supporters “crazies.” They laughed at the fans, mocking the popularity of a player they deemed unworthy.
Of course, these media members were all too eager to ride the wave of notoriety that came along with being in Tebow’s orbit. Many in Denver became fixtures on TV and radio shows around the country simply because of the market they resided.
But that didn’t stop them from laughing. That didn’t prevent them from looking down on the fans.
They were like the “cool club” in an ’80s movie, laughing at the “nerds” at the other table in the lunch room. Their little clique was better than everyone else because they weren’t “dumb” enough to get sucked into the Tebow hype.
What a crock.
The Tebow phenomenon isn’t hard to understand. If people would take a moment to try to see why people find the guy so interesting, rather just looking down their noses at those who support the guy.
Let’s start with the elephant in the room. Yes, there are a lot of people who like Tebow because of the quarterback’s beliefs.
Why is that a bad thing? He’s a Christian and he’s not afraid to share that fact. It’s okay for other Christians, people who shares his beliefs, to gravitate toward him.
Everyone is pulled toward people who share their worldview. Whether it’s politics, religion, sports allegiance, favorite restaurant or whatever. Birds of a feather flock together.
Why is that a bad thing? This criticism of Tebow and his supporters makes zero sense.
If you don’t share Tebow’s beliefs, that’s okay. This is America; we’re allowed to have different opinions.
But you have to respect his right to believe what he chooses. That’s how it works in a free society.
The fact that he lives up to those beliefs is also worthy of admiration. That’s one of the main things that makes him so popular.
In a world filled with hypocrites who constantly let down their loyal followers, Tebow stands out. Like his beliefs or not, the man lives up to them.
He hasn’t been in the tabloids after being caught in a compromising position. He isn’t telling people to do one thing, while he secretly does the opposite.
That type of authenticity is rare. So when it appears, people gravitate toward it.
But it’s not just Tebow’s off-the-field actions that attracts fans. In fact, that stuff is pretty secondary. He’s also wildly popular for what he does between the lines.
Scoff if you want, but the guy is a heckuva football player. He might not be a great quarterback, at least from a technical standpoint, but he can play the game.
And it’s the way he goes about it that is mesmerizing. That’s what sucks people in.
Tebow’s time in Denver serves as a prime example. To understand his popularity, simply turn back the clock a decade.
When Tebow took over as the Broncos starting QB in 2011, Denver was 1-4. That was on the heels of a 4-12 season, meaning they were 5-16 in their previous 21 games before he was named the starter.
At the helm for most of that stretch was Kyle Orton, a quarterback who was the antithesis of Tebow, in almost every way. He could throw the ball better. He probably knew the offense better. But he was about as inspiring as page 27 of your life insurance policy.
Orton was good enough to keep the Broncos in most games, but he never delivered in the fourth quarter. He’d fumble or throw an interception with the game on the line, finishing with decent numbers en route to another L.
Orton was also a terrible leader. Orlando Franklin was a rookie on that 2011 team. This week on air, he shared stories about the quarterback refusing to talk to him or any other first-year player. The QB was all about hazing, not about making people around him better.
It went so far that Orton even sabotaged his own team. When Virgil Green didn’t know what to do on a certain play, he asked his quarterback for help. Orton intentionally told the rookie tight end the wrong thing, ensuring that he’d botch the play.
This was the situation Tebow stepped into. This was the toxic disaster that he inherited.
Not surprisingly, Broncos Country was desperate for something positive. They were looking for a reason to be hopeful again.
And Tebow provided it.
Sure, he struggled in almost every game he played. But when the chips were down, he delivered.
Tebow would pull of improbable victories, causing the Broncos faithful to collectively loose their minds. He singlehandedly resuscitated Mile High Magic, rattling off six-straight wins at one point during that season.
Tebow took over a bad and boring team, one led by an uninspiring frat bully, and made them fun again. He led Denver back to the playoffs, where he became the first QB ever drafted by the Broncos to win a postseason game for the franchise.
It was special. It was amazing. It was refreshing.
That’s why he was popular. It’s not hard to figure out.
Tebow was the comedian who followed three straight acts who had bombed. He was the singer who hit the stage after Sanjaya on “American Idol.” He was the drink of water after a long walk across the desert.
He was a refreshing change. He was a break from the drudgery.
He wasn’t a great quarterback, but he was a heckuva lot of fun to watch. Broncos games went from boring to must-see TV in the blink of an eye.
Kyle Orton never led “SportsCenter.” Tim Tebow was often the entire show.
Why? Because people can’t get enough of someone who walks the walk, plays hard, battles until the end, defies the odds, quiets the doubters and has a flare for the dramatic.
It’s not that hard to figure out. Unless, of course, you’re a hater.
