Tim Tebow: Why Should We Even Care If Denver Broncos' QB Takes the Field Again?

Was All the Tim Tebow Hype Just a Publicity Stunt?

It all began when the Denver Broncos traded up to draft former Florida Gators' QB Tim Tebow in the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft.

In an article by David Jones of the Florida Today, not all critics were shocked that Tebow went in round one:

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"It's not just about playing quarterback, it's about adding him to your football team," former Tampa Bay Bucs coach and ESPN NFL analyst Jon Gruden said. "Who knows when he's going to play, what he's going to play, how he's going to play? But you are adding one big-time human being on your football team."

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Gruden went on to say:

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"And this guy, Tebow, will not be denied. He will develop into a big-time football player. He will be huge in the Broncos' community. I love this pick right here. I'm a little surprised that it's Denver given the fact they just traded for Brady Quinn."

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And after the way the 2010 season commenced, it appeared that Tim Tebow would have his shot at starting the the NFL.

Toward the end of last season was when he earned the majority of the time under center, and he did perform rather decent.

In three games he went 40-of-81 for 651 yards, with four TDs and three interceptions.

Throughout the year he also ran the ball 43 times for 227 yards, including six TDs and converting 12 first-downs.

Which, lead us to the QB controversy discussion as described in this article by the USA Today and the Associated Press:

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"Tim Tebow's (FSY) three-week audition as Denver's starting quarterback provided plenty of fodder for the debate over his worthiness as an NFL passer."

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Even All-Pro WR Brandon Marshall was impressed:

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"Pro Bowl receiver Brandon Lloyd(FSY), who initially supported Orton finishing out the season as the starter, said Tebow and the Broncos benefited from his promotion.

"It's always good to get him in there and get experience, so that in the offseason he can visualize the speed of the game. He can visualize what teams are doing to him and to us, and how fast we run our routes, so he can visualize the correct timing in the offseason," Lloyd said."

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All offseason long there was speculation, rumors, or whatever, about what Denver should do with Kyle Orton and Tim Tebow.

That even continued all the way to training camp, which we now know the Broncos' decision.

Tebow is currently fighting for the backup position, and has been outplayed by Brady Quinn this preseason.

So, should we actually care if Tim Tebow gets any solid playing time?

Well, he would be a decent asset to the wild-cat package just to give the opposing defense something else to be concerned about, which in turn, would play to Denver's favor.

But, after everything that's occurred this preseason, and all the criticism that he underwent, and will continue to receiver, Tebow's presence in that scheme has dwindled.

And when you think about it, could this have also been a subtle publicity stunt?

Yes, it may appear to be far-fetched, but it's not out of the question.

Once drafted, his Tebow's jersey was amongst the best sellers in the NFL before training camp even began in 2010.

However, since his recent but slight, downfall his jersey sales have dropped.

In addition, think of how many more tickets were sold in 2010 simply because Denver drafted Tim Tebow?

The odd thing about it, is that Josh McDaniels was fired after the Broncos' 3-9 start in 2010.

So was Pat Bowlen anticipating a bad season, which prompted him to trade up and draft Tebow for more jersey/ticket sales?

The scary thing about pro football is that at it's core, it's a business.

And when you're in business, your first priority is to make money.

Therefore to be blunt about the original question, should we care if Tim Tebow ever takes the field again?

No.

Be sure to check out John on Bleacher Report.

And you can follow him on Twitter @ Sportswriter27.