Tim Tebow Trade: Quarterback Made Decision Based on Lack of Communication

For anyone in the Jacksonville area, the news of Tim Tebow signing with the New York Jets is still hitting home and leaving fans puzzled. There are questions still unanswered and things unknown as to why a decision was made to make New York Tebow’s next destination in his NFL journey.

The fact that Tebow, who Broncos brass claim was given the choice to make the decision as to where he wanted to play football in 2012, did not come home is not only shocking, but dumbfounding to some.

But in reality, we as the common fan do not or did not have all the facts as to what happened in negotiations. And we as fans will never truly know how everything evolved from the 12-hour circus that took place last Wednesday. Remember, there is Tebow’s side, the Broncos’ side, the Jets’ side, the Jaguars’ side and then the truth.

And in some sort of reality television played out in front of us, with all the sports media and entertainment outlets watching and waiting, there is a bit of truth from everyone in this hexagon of craziness.

Is it possible that what Tebow said was correct, that he chose the Jets mainly because he knew the coaching staff better than the Jaguars’ coaches and management? Yes. That stems from league rules which prohibit the Jaguars talking to or about another player directly if the player is property of the another NFL team.

Like it or not, Tebow was never property of the Jacksonville Jaguars. He was property of the Denver Broncos and the New York Jets twice in one NFL offseason day. He never could speak to Jaguars' coaches or staff or Gene Smith, the team’s general manager.

In that respect, Tebow, who spoke to the New York media yesterday for the first time, could not be wooed any more than he was by the Jaguars.

There is an interesting scenario that I was toiling with this weekend and that was actually discussed on the "Frank Frangie Show" on sports radio 1010 XL Monday afternoon. Here is how I think it may have happened for Tebow on Wednesday last week. And if this is the way things did start out, then you cannot blame Jaguars team owner Shad Khan for attempting to sign Jacksonville’s superhero.

He expressed his desires to [Gene] Smith, and they began the process of making the “splash” in the offseason he wanted.

Tebow would have been that splash.

But here is the scenario I think would have been played out.

Wednesday morning, Tebow was notified by Broncos head coach John Fox that the Jets were interested in him. Tebow gets excited and says he likes the idea. As the day progresses, Fox is the only one who has contact with Tebow about trade rumors and what is happening to land Tebow elsewhere.

When the trade is made, Fox again contacts Tebow, who is elated and joyous and makes contact with the Jets staff, head coach Rex Ryan, etc. It is announced on television, radio and everywhere else in the world that Tebow is property of the Jets.

Around the middle of the afternoon, a snag happens and language in Tebow’s contract makes the trade “iffy”, and he again becomes property of the Broncos. The Jets then negotiate with the Broncos to work a deal where Woody Johnson pays Denver a little more than $2.5 million because of said language (I did not know contracts could talk, evidently, they can) in the contract with the Broncos. So now, the only team that Tebow can talk to is Denver.

John Fox notifies Tebow that the Jets still want him, but the Jaguars have jumped in and have been rumored to want the hometown boy. Tebow tells Fox he likes the idea of coming home.

When the two deals on the table are fairly close in comparison, Fox then goes to Tebow and tells him about that and says something like, “Tim, if you had to choose, where do you want to go?” The Broncos ultimately make the deal, but they ask for the quarterback’s input.

At 8:30 p.m., Tebow becomes property of the Jets again.

There was never a situation where Tebow could have talked to the Jaguars so they could sell him on the team. This is not the Jaguars’ fault or Tebow’s fault, or the Jets' fault, for that matter. That is NFL rule.

Could the Jaguars have be more diligent in claiming Tebow? Maybe. But it cannot be denied that Jacksonville made the effort to claim the quarterback who was on the market. And in all honesty, the Jaguars were set at quarterback with Blaine Gabbert and Chad Henne.

So when we worry about the drama of “He said, he said,” let’s remember there were rules to be followed, and while those rules were followed, they did not favor Jacksonville and its pursuit of Tebow. It just worked out that way. Had Jacksonville jumped in first and made an offer, then maybe this would have a different ending.

People here in town are so worried about the team letting the hometown hero get away, but there are things we all were not privy to. We don't have all the facts and we still don't and to be honest, we shouldn't have them.

This is a business decision for an NFL franchise. And while Tebow coming home looks good and makes sense on a city and community level, this team already had to quarterbacks. Having one more may have been good for the city, but may not have been so great for the continuity of this franchise.