Debby Wong-US PRESSWIRE
Speculation out of New York this morning circulated around New York Jets quarterback Tim Tebowyet again. This time an unnamed source intimated that Tebow would want out of New York if he is not named the starter this season.
Speaking for another person is always a dangerous thing to do and any such speculation mentioning the name of Tebow is sure to draw the ire of many as he is the most polarizing athlete in professional sports.
Of course the 25-year-old Tebow wants to be a starting quarterback in the league and try to improve on his success he had last year when he took over midway through last season for the Denver Broncos and helped the team to the second round of the playoffs.
Any speculation about Tebow being unhappy and demanding a trade, if he does not get his way, is completely out of character from the quarterback who has been under the microscope prior to his arrival at Gainesville and the University of Florida.
From the team’s perspective why would they trade the quarterback they gave up two draft picks for in the spring and have high hopes for after one week of the season?
He presents an opportunity to push the team’s incumbent starting quarterback, Mark Sanchez and allows the offense to give the opposing defenses something else to think about when they are preparing the game plan for the game vs. the Jets.
The Wildcat offense Tebow will run for the Jets may not be featured every week, and some weeks it may be the focal point of the offensive attack, depending on the opponent, but it will drive defensive coordinators nuts preparing for it.
Trades in the NFL are rare compared to the other big three professional sports, and they are even more rare during the season.
A team that needed a quarterback entering the 2012 season already made plans to acquire one during the draft or free agency. Miami, Cleveland, and Seattle each followed that blueprint. Teams like Jacksonville and Arizona have young quarterbacks that they are still trying to develop.
Simply put the only place for Tebow is as a member of the Jets. If he is not the starter immediately that does not mean he will not be a key cog in the game plan from week to week. The Jets view him as a valuable component in their offense under Tony Sparano, and finding a team to compensate them fairly will be an impossible task.
Tebow is not leaving New York anytime soon so prepare for the media circus to continue throughout the season. It will hit a climax when he is named the starter after a few poor games by Sanchez in a month.
Follow me on Twitter @PatrickASchmidt
Patrick is a diehard Chicago sports and avid college football fan, and the host of “The Wake-up Call,” a weekly sports show on Sportstownchicago.com Wednesday mornings from 8-10. View his show’s website here.
