The Tim Tebow Effect

Everybody knows the hype that surrounds Tim Tebow – whether it is his ability as a professional quarterback, the legacy he left in college, his broadcasting skills in the booth, or simply just uttering his name, people know Tim Tebow. Almost everybody has a strong opinion one-way or the other about him as well.

With the Philadelphia Eagles recent signing of the heralded celebrity, the team has brought on a player who will garner attention despite his place on the depth chart. All the media reports and any stories involving Tebow are best left for gossip outlets like TMZ and kept off sports-related channels like ESPN.

If Tebow earns a spot on the roster, which could likely draw out into the final weeks of the preseason months away, then there is reason to actually interview him and get his thoughts on the team. There are so many Tebow-lovers and Tebow-haters out there, that waiting that long to get Tebow on the air will be impossible.

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The Eagles did not make Tebow available to the media initially, and Chip Kelly would be wise in keeping it that way as long as he can. For people who think Tebow was signed as a publicity stunt, it makes little sense for a coach still trying to prove his worth in the NFL to bring on a player as talked about as Tebow and who has such little respect for his talent around the league.

Perhaps, Kelly needs some competition for the guys he really wants to be competing for his quarterback job and brought in Tebow to push them? Tebow is one of the most notorious workers in football, despite not having played in a few years. He is still in great shape; we will see if that also means great football shape. As dedicated a person as Tebow is, he may or may not have a realistic shot at making the team. What he will do is put pressure on the other quarterbacks, because Tebow will be busting it day in and day out to prove that he belongs.

Philadelphia might have brought in Tim Tebow to just provide some leadership. If you recall the 2008 BCS Championship game halftime speech, you can see the fire that Tebow plays with. The man might be building hospitals off the field, but he is trying to put a defender in the hospital anytime one gets in his path. Vocal leaders are hard to come by, and vocal leaders who have the on-field passion to back it up are even harder to come by. With as many questions as the Eagles have surrounding their quarterback position, they need someone with leadership qualities such as Tebow to create a path for his teammates to walk down.

Playing ability is Tebow’s biggest knock against him. Although he has an NFL playoff victory on his resume with such few starts, it seems ironic that teams would not want a player who somehow wins no matter the situation. It is hard to blame the Denver Broncos and John Elway for parting ways with Tebow when Peyton Manning became available, but most other teams do not have a future hall of famer behind center on Sundays.

For a team as uncertain as the Eagles, Tebow makes for a good addition to the roster. The offense is unlike any other in the NFL, and therefore the roster should probably be a little nontraditional as well. It doesn’t matter how many interviews he gives or what religion Tebow is. All that matters is that he brings his “A” game to the field everyday and provides more value to the team than any other free agent quarterback.

Tim Tebow will always bring his “A” game to the field. That might equate to the “B-“ game of a more elite quarterback, but Tebow is definitely more than just an on-the-field presence. It doesn’t matter what Kelly’s opinion is about Tebow as a person. It matters what Chip Kelly thinks Tebow can do for the team.