I Would Give Anything for the Sports World to Stop Talking About Tim Tebow

LIST A:

Peyton Manning, Matt Ryan, Donovan McNabb, Vince Young, Brett Favre, Kerry Collins, Jake Plummer, Drew Bledsoe

LIST B:

Tom Brady, Phillip Rivers, Matt Cassel, Michael Vick, Drew Brees, Aaron Rodgers, Tony Romo, Matt Schaub, David Garrard, Kurt Warner, Eli Manning, Jay Cutler, Matt Hasselbeck, Jeff Garcia, Ben Roethlisberger, Derek Anderson, Marc Bulger, Carson Palmer, Trent Green, Jake Delhomme, Daunte Culpepper, Rich Gannon, Brad Johnson, Kordell Stewart, Brian Griese, Elvis Grbac, Marc Brunell, Steve Beurlin

List A is comprised of the eight NFL quarterbacks who started early in their rookie season and have played in a Pro Bowl since the year 2000.

List B is comprised of the 29 NFL quarterbacks who did not start early in their rookie season and have played in a Pro Bowl since the year 2000.

Looking at these lists, we can infer that Pro Bowl NFL quarterbacks who initially sat out are at least three times more likely to make a Pro Bowl than rookie quarterbacks who play instantly. In addition, the number of Super Bowl victories for List B is four times greater than List A’s number.

Throughout history, going as far down the ranks as Pee Wee football, first year quarterbacks have not regularly started. That’s why the third graders always play before the second graders. That’s why there’s JV and Varsity, That’s why all freshmen football players used to be ineligible (and now, why redshirting exists). And finally, that’s why significantly more often than not, rookies don’t start in the pros.

Now, believe it or not, every once in a while someone who is extremely talented in their situation will climb the ladder early. There are high school freshmen who start for the varsity team. There are college freshmen who start for their college teams. And there are rookies who start in the NFL. And while it works sometimes works, sometimes the rookie can be exposed as not ready to play yet.

That is the way it works. That is the way it has always worked. Now, answer me this: Why won’t everyone shut up about Tim Tebow?

Tim Tebow has played less than a half a season, and from day one, we all knew that he was going to be a developmental project at quarterback. Additionally, Kyle Orton has been very successful as the Broncos’ starting quarterback. Conventional wisdom would indicate that if both of these individuals were on the same team right now, that Kyle Orton would still be the number one quarterback on the depth chart.

Well: they are on the same team right now, and Kyle Orton is still number one on the depth chart.

Anything more made of this story is simply irresponsible journalism. This move doesn’t mean that Tim Tebow sucks forever, nor does it mean that Tim Tebow will never take a first-team snap again. And this certainly doesn't mean that Merrill Hoge, whose name I haven’t heard since the lockout started, gets to rip on Tim Tebow’s mechanics, like he did on Sports Center Wednesday morning.

Oh, and on a separate note. I love the fact that the only person that ESPN actually could get to sit down and rip Tebow in half was Merrill Hoge, who was not a quarterback, even in college. That’s right, the source of all these visceral op-eds about Tim Tebow the quarterback is Merrill Hoge, the running back.

You know why other former pros aren’t riding the Hoge train? It’s because everyone loves Tim Tebow. And while Tebow continues to work on his mechanics, everyone already knows that his natural leadership doesn't even measure on the charts.

So everyone please do me a favor and stop talking about Tim Tebow; or at least let the jury be out on him until his third season is over. Time and experience is what makes quarterbacks better; and it’s always been that way.