NFL:More than any one player, coach or executive, Tim Tebow made the Broncos relevant in 2011. He took a team that was in its worst slump since its dreadful neophyte era of the 1960s and brought them to the play-offs.
In the postseason, Tebow turned in the best game of his career to beat heavily favored Pittsburgh, throwing for 316 yards and two touchdowns on only 10 completions, including a stadium-rocking, 80-yard, game-winning touchdown pass to Demaryius Thomas on the first play of overtime.
And what did Tebow get for his wondrous performance that not only delivered the Broncos from their six-year malaise but captivated a nation? He's most likely going to be the first player kicked out the Dove Valley doors.
''I feel for him,'' Broncos receiver Eric Decker said. ''He's an incredible person. A fierce competitor. A great teammate. Obviously, we wouldn't have gone from 1-4 to the playoffs if it wasn't for him. I've got a lot of respect and will always have a lot of respect for Tim Tebow.''
The NFL, maybe more than other sport because of its injury nature, can be a cruel business. Despite Tebow's heroics, the Broncos made quarterback their top position to upgrade. Then again, Peyton Manning, if he's healthy, would be an upgrade for all but a handful of NFL teams.
Despite concerns about Manning's neck injury that forced him to miss the entire 2011 season, Broncos front-office boss John Elway and coach John Fox were willing to take a risk on a player who is a four-time MVP, two-time AFC champion and one-time Super Bowl champ.
When Manning notified Elway and Fox on Monday morning that he wanted to play for the Broncos, it all but officially put Tebow on the trading block. ''Part of me does feel for him because he did do good things, and I know he was looking forward to this year,'' Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey said. ''We all were. But when you've got a guy like Peyton on the market, you have to try to get a guy like that. He's so special.
''Who knows where Tim is going to be as a quarterback next year or the year after that? All we know is we want to win right now, and he knows he has to get better as a pro quarterback. I mean he's a good player, and if he keeps proving himself, he's going to be in this league a long time.''
Because Tebow ranked 34th in completion percentage last season in a league in which there are only 32 starting quarterbacks, he may be the only active NFL player who draws more interest from owners than from general managers and coaches. The Miami Dolphins essentially had a Tim Tebow Day at their stadium in October when the former University of Florida great made his first start of the season.
Any team that struggles to sell out each Sunday might be interested. Those teams would include Jacksonville, Miami, Tampa Bay, Cincinnati, Buffalo, San Diego and Oakland. Any franchise that needs to become more relevant with its fan base would have to be interested in Tebow, whose jersey and memorabilia are among the league's best sellers. But Tebow the quarterback can also help a team win.
Even if executives or coaches don't think Tebow can make it as an every-down quarterback, he has proved to be an incredible weapon in the four-minute offence - where teams with the lead try to run out the clock - two-point conversions and in giving the running game a jolt.
The Broncos are not expected to say for sure that Tebow will be traded. But the feeling is there's not a tent big enough to handle the circus that would feature the mania of Tebow and the excitement of Manning. - New York Times