Why Tim Tebow vs. Brady Quinn "Spat" Is a Non-Story

The NFL media got their daily dose of Tim Tebow buzz early today, as Michael Silver's profile in GQ featured a couple of interesting quotes from Denver Broncos free agent quarterback Brady Quinn that has lit a match under Tebowmania again here in late February.

But before Quinn is thrown under the bus more so than he already has been, let's take a realistic look at what is making this a hot-button topic almost two months after Tebow last played a football game.

Here is what Quinn was quoted as saying in the feature, in order:

"

Early in the season, there was a game when Kyle [Orton] got hurt and the coaches were calling for me to go in, but Kyle got up and finished the game out. So I was the second-string guy. Then, a few weeks later, they decided to put Tim in. I felt like the fans had a lot to do with that. Just 'cause they were chanting his name. There was a big calling for him. No, I didn't have any billboards. That would have been nice.

"

Then this:

"

The entire game, the defensive line is chasing the quarterback around, and that wears down the pass rush. Meanwhile, the defensive backs are chasing receivers, but you only throw eight passes, so they start to feel lazy. It only takes that one play, that one big pass, for a touchdown.

"

Then this:

"

We've had a lot of, I guess, luck, to put it simply.

"

And finally, this:

"

If you look at it as a whole, there's a lot of things that just don't seem very humble to me. When I get that opportunity, I'll continue to lead not necessarily by trying to get in front of the camera and praying but by praying with my teammates, you know?

"

The only thing Quinn says in this feature that absolutely isn't for certain is the final part, and even that quote is without context.

I don't blame Silver, as providing context wasn't a necessary part of putting together this oral history of Tebow's run. But we don't get a full picture of how Quinn was responding without the context of the question and answer.

Remember, these weren't quotes that came in a sequence from one interview. Silver plucked these from several different dates during the run. Strung together, you can make conclusions. But on their own, and again, without context, you can't possibly get the full picture.  

There are more reasons why this isn't much of a story. 

Simply, why has speaking your mind become such a taboo in the NFL? And more specifically, why can't a backup quarterback say what he wants to? It's not like 90 percent of rational football fans weren't thinking and saying the exact same things. Even Quinn's final spurt is something that's been discussed at length.

Overall, this just doesn't seem like something that should get the attention it is. Unfortunately, that has become commonplace when talking about Tebow. Every little thing is overblown and overplayed. Even Broncos fans have to be sick of it. 

If Richard Bartel had said these same things about John Skelton, would anyone in Arizona even blink an eye? Would a majority of fans even know which team those two played for?

Let's stay within the context of the conversation no matter who's involved.