In the past year, the legend of Tim Tebow continued to grow, thanks to last-minute antics and his genuine, small-town personality that continues to capture the nation. Tebow was iconic in college football and has been able to carry over the same popularity to the NFL. But what happens now that he has been traded from the Denver Broncos to the New York Jets after the signing of Peyton Manning?
Let it be understood—this is a great move for both teams. The Broncos get a player (Manning) who will definitely be a member of the Hall of Fame and increase their chances at going far in next year’s playoffs. At the same time, the Jets get a quarterback with starting experience, great leadership skills, and a hardworking personality. There are only two people this doesn’t work for—Tebow (duh) and Jets starting QB Mark Sanchez.
For Tebow, this is a big setback. Being traded to a team with an established QB who has a track record of making solid playoff runs means Tebow has officially been demoted. He has also already caused several controversies, including upsetting the established second-string QB, who has since been traded. Finally, his popularity may drop for not playing every Sunday, like his superfans want him to. But he has been in that same situation before, and it worked out fine.
Sanchez suffers because of the nature of Jets fans and the Big Apple media. Whenever the Jets win, fans think they’re Super Bowl-bound tomorrow. When they lose, either Sanchez is getting traded or Rex Ryan is getting fired. This is a pressure cooker to live in. Now, let’s add more pressure—let’s bring in a QB who has a Heisman, two NCAA championships, and actually went to the playoffs last season. Sure, he played poorly, but he was there. Sanchez has to transform himself into Tom Brady if he wants to quiet his more enthused naysayers, who will call for Tebow on the first mistake.
Now the Jets hope that the two players will be able to co-exist and Tebow can be used in the infamous wildcat formation. It’s possible that both QBs learn from each other and find success. However, as a Patriots fan, I’m hoping for the worst possible outcome—team implosion, of course.
