Tim Tebow: The Most Untrusted Man in the League

It took NFL teams 24 draft picks in 2010.  It took the Denver Broncos six weeks in 2011.  It's taken the average football fan even longer.  When and how will Tim Tebow finally be trusted as a starting NFL quarterback?

That time is seemingly now.

The two-time national champion's success at the college level was never going to win him a starting gig at the professional level, neither was his predicted role as a Wildcat expert.  Somehow, amidst all those expectations he presumably lacked, with a new head coach in John Fox and a hungry city of Denver, Tebow's heroics this past Sunday has more or less marked his future in this league.

Even more so, for what it's worth, his success at the pro level could eventually diminish his college legacy.  As the weeks go on, Tebow will no longer be the quick-passing, bruising runner he was in Florida.  Instead, he'll try to alleviate all his old habits in exchange for new useful capabilities.

So, why has it taken a 15-point deficit and an overtime comeback victory to solidify the Broncos', as well as the NFL community's, trust in one of the greatest and most marketable college athletes of all time?

It depends how you look at it.  Trust is regularly won and lost in the NFL, let alone the opportunity to prove your worth.  Tebow's inexperience and what was called "a lack of quarterbacking potential" has served as his inability to not receive a starting nod until Week 7 of the 2011 season.

Does it matter that it came against an 0-5 Miami Dolphins franchise that's arguably the worst team in the AFC?  Does it matter that Tebow was evidently struggling for the majority of the game?  Does it matter that his heroics was engraved by a Matt Moore fumble in overtime?

It shouldn't.  People will poke and criticize Tebow's performance from each and every angle, from start to finish.  Rightfully so, but give the guy some credit.  The fact remains, Miami was a hungry team and still is.  At home, looking for the first win of the season, any quarterback besides the Bradys and Mannings would have a tough time consistently producing in such a hostile environment.

As for the other critiques, Tebow's numbers weren't gaudy, but they were more than efficient.  Zero turnovers, two touchdowns and 226 total yards in his first start of the year seems just about right in anyone's book of "trust."

With that said, it is hard to glorify Tebow as a dominant player after just one flashy win.  His production should increase and the coverage that goes along with one of the most popular players in the league seems ready to simply implode.  The dynamic of Tim Tebow seems to stem from the media's obsession with his persona.  ESPN, in particular, will report on what the 24-year-old had for breakfast two weeks ago. 

Well, that may be an exaggeration, but you catch my drift. 

They love him.  They can't get enough of him, for better or worse, making comparisons and lofty expectations at every turn.

So, maybe these are the reasons why Tebow can't be trusted in America's most competitive sport.  Maybe it's why he can never bust free of the media shackles that frenzied reporters and analysts have cast upon him.  Maybe it's these obstacles and early career speculations that have cornered Tebow into a no win situation.

But why?

Tebow has taken all the proper steps a young play caller needs to make.  He obviously proved his worth to the Broncos because they drafted him in the first round when nobody seemed willing to test the waters.  He has clearly gained the trust of his teammates following a huge fourth-quarter comeback on the road.

So, what about everybody else?  Do you trust him now?

His hard work, dedication and on-field leadership skills should be enough to sway the most complicated of minds, but somehow his performance Sunday has simply been pushed to the side, unrewarded. 

Somehow, it still falls short of trustworthy.