Tim Tebow: John Fox Is Smart to Not Anoint Star QB as Starter for Next Year

Opinions towards Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow seem to range from 'despise' to 'want to marry,' but John Fox made his feelings clear.

“We get that question a lot, whether it’s John Elway or myself,” Fox told Jim Rome on Friday.  “We’re both his biggest fans. I mean, we love him. How would you not at 7-1?  I think right now, all our focus is, let’s get this season done."

Surely your coach and vice president of football operations are going to say things like that, but this is a positive sign considering the famous doubts these two had about Tebow at the beginning of the year.

Still though, Fox wasn't ready to look forward to next season.

“We love him, he’s great, we’re pulling for him, and you know, we’ll make those decisions when this season is over and not worry about next season at this point.”

This is the smartest thing John Fox could have ever said. With the Tebow Bandwagon continuing to get bigger and bigger and with Tebow clearly proving he's Denver's best quarterback, there is lots of pressure on Fox to anoint Tebow his "Quarterback of the Future."

One of the main reasons Tebow is so successful is the constant need to prove himself.

No one (except maybe Skip Bayless) believed in Tebow in the beginning, so he had a ton of motivation. He's used that motivation to work incredibly hard and become successful. 

If Fox names Tebow the quarterback for next year and beyond, then the motivation is suddenly gone. Tebow clearly isn't the type of guy to just lay over when his job is secure, but it's certainly nice for him to have that chip on his shoulder.

It's really as simple as that. It's that chip that seems to drive Tebow to extraordinary heights.

Fox can't afford to take that away. He can't let Tebow feel safe. It seems crazy, but as long as he continues to convey a little sense of doubt—and that's what he's doing with these comments—Tebow will continue to play his rear off. 

We've never seen how Tebow plays without that sense of urgency, but I'm sure Denver Bronco fans would be fine if that never happened.