New York Jets: Tim Tebow Is the New Jets Punt Protector

Picture this:

It's opening Sunday of the new NFL season, and the New York Jets are taking on the Buffalo Bills in MetLife Stadium. After the Jets go three-and-out on their first possession, running from the sidelines in his new colors of green and white is the savior himself, Tim Tebow.

Tebow takes the field. Jet fans go crazy in the stands, and they're yelling in excitement because the man who saved the Denver Broncos last year is about to do the same and bring the Jets back to the promise land.

But wait, what's this? Tebow is not behind center. He's about five yards away from center and to the left.

T.J. Conley takes the ball and punts it away? What is this blasphemy? Why isn't Tebow taking the ball and running with it? Special Teams coach Mike Westhoff should be fired for this atrocity!

The Bills take the ball at the 20-yard line, and Tebow trots back to the sidelines. Tebow Time has run its course up until this point.

But fear not, for if the Jets offense can't get anything going for the game, you get to see more of the man himself get his playing time.

And that's Tim Tebow's new role for the New York Jets in a nutshell.

Tebow haters are rejoicing today, simply because the man they can't stand when he wins ballgames is going to have a new role in the New York offense: special teams. But not just any kind of special teams—we're talking about being, simply put, the fullback in the Jets' punt package.

Never before has a punt coverage team gotten so much publicity, but there's a hunch that the New York media photographers are drooling at the bits, hoping to get the first picture of Tebow as the guy that blocks the oncoming rush of defenders looking to block the punt.

Can one truly make the Pro Bowl for being a punt protector? I suppose we'll find out when fans questionably vote for the game's players later on in the season.

This situation, however, proves how comical anything relating to Tebow has become. Skip Bayless is probably rolling over in his grave right now, knowing once again that a team doesn't have faith in this man that can't throw a football accurately to save his life.

The Jets will utilize Tebow in the way that many general managers and coaches envisioned using him in an offense—someone who's going to block and maybe run with the ball, but he's not going to pass it any time soon.

Tebow can say that all he wants is to play the game, but at the end of the day, he knows that he just got the short end of the stick. He went from a guy who led the Broncos to a playoff win last year, to someone who will come onto the field for only one down, relax and maybe have a pina colada or two.

This also can be a great thing for Mark Sanchez, knowing that, for the moment, he won't have to worry about Tebow gunning for his job. And it shows that the Jets are completely confident in Sanchez and they believe he can lead New York to a Super Bowl.

With a clear conscience, Sanchez may do some great things this year.

But will people be talking about Sanchez and his ability to be a really good quarterback? No.

The media will be analyzing each movement that Tim Tebow makes—as a punt protector. Can you imagine ESPN analyzing each block he makes?

If they're not allowed to do that, then that just means less Tebow talk down the road.

Which I'm very content with.