NFL 2012: Why Tim Tebow Will Be More Relevant Than Peyton Manning in 2012

In a scene eerily reminiscent of the height of "Tebowmania," recent media coverage of the National Football League has been all but dominated by the ongoing saga involving the health and future of Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning

The "He''ll Play", "He'll Retire, "He's Staying in Indianapolis" or even the "He's headed to the Saskatchewan Rough Riders" speculation has been mercilessly unending. Until the situation is resolved, the constant onslaught known commonly as pulling a "Favre," will assuredly continue.

Tebow and Manning are easily the two most talked about signal-callers of the past six months, while players such as Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers have been relegated to below the fold.

5,000 passing yards? Big whoop. Anyone can do that.

Since it's time to shift our focus ahead to the 2012 season, let's take a gander forward and examine which of the media's favorite story generators will be the more relevant topic in the National Football League as winter and spring give way to summer and fall.

First, we have to assume that Manning even will play in 2012, as there are still some questions as to whether he'll be able to.

Assuming that he does, it's a near certainty that it will be somewhere else, as the latest reports indicate that the Colts will only "welcome" Manning back if he's willing to restructure his $90 million contract (including a $28 million roster bonus due March 8), so it appears that the four-time MVP along with the Colts are headed in different directions.

Manning will also likely be at least somewhat limited physically, especially early on, and while that is offset significantly by Manning's uncanny ability to read opposing defenses whatever team acquires the 35 year old is rolling the dice that they'll be getting Kurt Warner with the Arizona Cardinals and not Joe Namath with the Los Angeles Rams.

Meanwhile, the Denver Broncos are coming off an 8-8 season, an AFC West championship, and a thrilling playoff win over the Pittsburgh Steelers followed by a jack-stomping at the hands of the New England Patriots.

The Broncos have holes to fill and issues to address, but the prevailing storyline in the Mile High City this offseason will certainly focus on Tim Tebow's progression (or lack thereof) as a passer headed into his third season.

Tebow went from third-string quarterback, to unlikely starter, to comeback maestro and media phenomenon during a tumultuous 2011.

But if the Broncos are going to make serious noise in the AFC next season then Tebow is going to have to get better at, you know, throwing the football, and Team Vice President of Football Operations—John Elway said that he personally plans on working out with Tebow this offseason in an effort to help him improve in that regard.

How far that progression advances will go a long way towards determining the Broncos 2012 fate, and if a one-dimensional Tebow can't make strides as a passer and the Broncos struggle early in the season it's not completely inconceivable that Tim Tebow could find himself benched, especially should Denver acquire a veteran signal caller in free agency.

All that blathering aside, it brings up four potential scenarios that would make either Peyton Manning or Tim Tebow one of the prominent stories of the 2012 season, and in the internet media age relevance and prominence are one and the same:

1. An 80% Manning plays fairly well for Team X, leading that team to the playoffs and becoming the mortal lock for Comeback Player of the Year.

2. Manning's neck is never "right", he struggles and a "Namath" with the Rams' face-plant becomes a must-see train wreck.

3. Tebow progresses as a passer, the Broncos roll to their second straight AFC West title, and Tebow enters MVP talk while cementing his role as the NFL's most popular star.

4. Tebow falters, the Broncos bench him in the midst of a miserable 2012 campaign, and the Tebow haters gleefully rejoice about how he was never that good to begin with.

Tim Tebow is never going to be confused with Peyton Manning, nor will he ever be half the player throwing a football that Manning was in his prime.

However, Tebow is a winner and a relentlessly hard worker, and with a full offseason to work with I think that the third of those four scenarios is the most likely to come to pass, and that will make Tebow the more "relevant" of the two, even should the first also happen (and I hope it does).

Besides, the Mayan Apocalypse will happen before they give Tebow the actual MVP award, so at least there's that.