Phil Sears-USA TODAY Sports
Few athletes are as polarizing as free agent quarterback Tim Tebow. Popularity was gained by the former New York Jet for his character and faith, and these traits contributed to a large following for him. Tebow has also seen the negative side of publicity as critics focus on issues like his release, but it appears that he has the support of another public figure.
Actor, Martial Arts expert, and folk hero Chuck Norris recently declared his admiration for Tebow in a column titled the “Ultimate Clutch Player”. This riveting piece recalls the quarterback’s rallies as a member of the Denver Broncos, and it also suggests Tebow as a fit for the Jacksonville Jaguars. Norris defends Tebow for his leadership despite constant scrutiny. He goes on to say: “we’ve heard the critics say Tebow has poor technical skills, but the truth is that Tim is a natural leader, an amazingly gifted football player, an inspiration to his team and the possessor of intense determination and strategy to bring any team to victory — no matter what the odds.” Beneath all of the kind words one part of Tebow’s game fails to be mentioned.
Consistent accuracy must be present for a quarterback to enjoy sustained success, and Tebow has struggled mightily in this area completing just 46 percent of his passes. Jacksonville’s other quarterbacks currently are Blaine Gabbert, Chad Henne, and Jordan Rodgers, but Gabbert has a career passer rating of 69.9 and these other options also do not inspire confidence. While adding someone beloved in their state could benefit Jaguars owner Shad Khan there would be too much attention. At the same time it will be tough to argue for bringing in such a potential distraction.
The Jets dealt with a similar problem last season when head coach Rex Ryan almost seemed forced to make room for Tebow. His role was awkward while he operated basically as a gimmick player, and teammates criticized him for what they thought perceived as terrible performance in practice. Defending a man based on their solid personality is fine, however, the author of this column is not suited to make football decisions. It has been said that Norris can see his forehead without using a mirror. Too bad for Tebow he can’t assemble an NFL team. Given all of these factors I expect him to remain unemployed for the foreseeable future.
