Elway shows confidence in Tebow
John Elway knows a thing or two about what it takes to be a successful quarterback in the NFL. The Hall of Famer led the Broncos to their only two Super Bowl wins and is a legend in Denver. Elway feels that the Broncos will benefit from their risky first-round draft pick Tim Tebow. No matter how good Tebow was in college, all he has heard is how his mechanics and style of play will hurt him in the NFL. However Elway feels that if Tebow’s skills are used correctly, he will really help the Broncos.
"I'm sure they're going to take advantage of what he does in the shotgun, especially in third-down situations with the run-pass option that you have with a guy like Tim," Elway said. "He throws the ball so well on the move and has the chance for the big play. And maybe they'll use him more than that and get him into the right situations."
Elway was able to find the right balance in his career, making plays using his arm and his legs. He was arguably the greatest scrambling quarterback in history because he had all the tools in a well-balanced approach. Tebow has been criticized for having a poor throwing motion and release, problems that pass in college, but not in the NFL. Tebow will likely see limited action in his rookie year as he’s been working hard to improve his game.
"I think the good thing for Tim is all the pressure's not on him to go in and play right away and play well," said Elway, who led the Broncos to two Super Bowl victories. "So it's actually a good situation for him."
This year won’t be Tebow’s time though as Kyle Orton has been named the starter. Orton received a vote of confidence from the Broncos’ management when they extended his contract through 2011. Orton knows the offence the best and Tebow is a project that coach Josh McDaniels will work on for a couple of years. Tebow’s potential is off the charts, but old habits are hard to break.
Tebow won the Heisman Trophy in college and led the Florida Gators to two National Championships in just three years as a starter. In his freshman year, he was used in special situations as he was Chris Leak’s backup. Leak led the Gators to a National Championship but went undrafted and signed with the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League. Some felt Tebow would either be drafted late, or not get drafted at all, but McDaniels, went with the high-risk, high-reward factor with Tebow.
“Josh McDaniels made his bed, especially trading up to get Tebow,” said Elway. “But that’s the thing with Josh; he seems knows what he wants. He wanted a guy like Tebow to be the leader, not only to carry the team physically on the field, but also be that type of leader that he wants off the field.”
Tebow showed the fiery competitiveness in him in his very first pre-season appearance. On the game’s last play and with the Broncos already down and no chance of winning, Tebow lowered his shoulder and charged into the end zone. Tebow suffered bruised ribs as he paid the price to score. While the score was meaningless on the scoreboard, the guts displayed by Tebow to go after two defenders was an example of what he can bring to the Broncos. That move should make a strong impression in McDaniels and Elway saw it as a positive sign from the rookie.
"When you think about the option of him going down on the one-yard line and he doesn't get hurt, what's everyone going to be talking about then?" Elway said.
It may take a while for Tebow to be a starter if he ever becomes one, but he can’t be counted out. If his mechanics improve and he learns how to consistently throw from the pocket, he could be a scary quarterback to play. Fans will likely see some flashes of what he can do this year and Tebow has said he’s going to be patient and do what his coaches ask of him. He has a professional attitude and is a hard worker. Sometimes in the NFL, that means more than mechanics and skill.
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