Tim Tebow: 5 Reasons We Don't Want Tebow on Madden 13 Cover

It's that time of year again. In no time at all, NFL fans and gamers alike will get to cast their votes for the player who will appear on the cover of Madden NFL 13.

The odds-on favorite, according to Bovada, is none other than Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow. His odds of winning the vote stand strong at 5/1.

Figures. Tebow has a lot of work to do to become a great NFL quarterback, but he's nothing if not popular. The dude doesn't have fans. He has disciples.

I'm a Tebow fan myself, for the record. But the last thing I want is to see Tebow on the cover of Madden NFL 13, a game I plan on picking up roughly five seconds after it becomes available.

Here's why.

5. There Are Better Quarterbacks on the Ballot

Want to know what other quarterbacks are in the running for the Madden 13 cover?

In no particular order: Cam Newton, Michael Vick, Drew Brees, Matthew Stafford, Ben Roethlisberger, Philip Rivers and Aaron Rodgers.

You want to know how many of them are better than Tebow? All of them. The only quarterback in the running who is arguably worse than Tebow is Mark Sanchez.

If the idea is to pick a player who is actually worth a darn out on the field, Tebow doesn't measure up to the competition. It's not close.

4. The Peyton Manning Situation

When the 2012 season actually gets underway, the possibility exists that Tebow won't even be starting for the Broncos. In fact, he may not even be on the Broncos.

The Broncos have been widely reported to be in the running for Peyton Manning. At last check, Mike Klis of The Denver Post reported that the Broncos are already in preliminary contract talks with Manning's agent.

What's worse, Pro Football Talk has reported that Tebow would likely be traded if the team manages to sign Manning. 

There's simply way too much uncertainty surrounding Tebow right now. By voting for him, voters run the risk of selecting a cover athlete who could end up being a backup on a team with a much better quarterback.

3. The Vote Shouldn't Be a Popularity Contest

Don't worry, I'm well aware that the Madden cover vote is indeed a popularity contest. How else can we explain Peyton Hillis winning the vote last year?

But that's not what the Madden cover vote should be. It should be a chance for fans to choose a cover athlete who has earned the right with his play on the field, not with his popularity off the field.

Tebow definitely surpassed expectations after taking over as Denver's starting quarterback in 2011, but it's not like he lit up the stat sheet. In fact, he was routinely mediocre, and occasionally awful.

This brings us to point No. 2...

2. He's Not Good Enough

Let's talk numbers. It's a good way to prove just how "meh" Tebow was as a quarterback in 2011.

Between the regular season and the postseason, Tebow completed more than 15 passes in a game exactly twice. He completed fewer than 10 passes in five of his 13 starts, including one in which he completed just two passes.

All told, Tebow posted a QB rating of 72.9. Among qualifying quarterbacks, that was good for 28th.

Sure, Tebow rushed for a lot of yards. But if he's chosen for the cover on that basis, fans will only be cementing the notion that Tebow is, in the words of Brian Urlacher, a good running back.

1. The Curse

Now that I've gone and ripped Tebow, I'll defend him.

Listen, I like Tebow. Things are more interesting when he's on the field, and he's a great guy off the field. I don't want to see anything bad happen to him.

And that's the top reason why none of us should want to see him grace the cover of Madden. The curse is alive and well, and it will get Tebow if he happens to land on the cover. 

I'll speak for myself and say that I want no part in dooming Tebow.