National Football League: Tim Tebow signs five-year deal with the Denver Broncos
Tim Tebow and his agent had until Sunday’s training camp to sign a contract with the Denver Broncos after already having missed Wednesday’s practice because the two sides couldn’t come to terms on an agreement. That agreement has been drafted and signed with only a few days to spare.
On Thursday, the two sides finally resolved their differences after a contract that is reported to be worth $11.25 million was signed. The team itself has not disclosed the terms of the deal but sources claimed that Tebow has been signed to a five-year contract with $8.7 million guaranteed. The maximum value of the contract is reported to be close to $33 million.
Tebow was the 25th overall 2010 draft pick for the Denver Broncos. The deal represents a considerable pay raise for the player. Tebow would be receiving quite a bit more in salary than last year’s 25thoverall pick, Vontae Davis. His contract is worth the same as the 24th overall pick Dez Bryant, although it was reported that Tebow’s agent, for some reason, wanted more than what Bryant’s contract was worth. Demaryius Thomas is now the only unsigned draft pick for the Broncos.
With the financial and legal haggling behind them, Tebow would enter the Broncos training came to compete for a spot in the team. Coach Josh Daniels, in a statement published online said that Tebow was a hard worker and possessed all the ‘intangibles’ that a player in his position is expected to have. However, he faces some stiff competition against Kyle Orton and Brady Quinn. Orton, with 3,800 yards last season, is the Broncos starting quarterback who played with an injury during last season. Orton has been signed to a $2.621 million tender as a restricted free agent because they did not want a long term deal.
Coach Daniels said that Tebow’s statistics were stunning and that Daniels wouldn’t even discuss those because in his opinion, Tebow was one of the best he had seen in a long time.
But let’s do take a look at those unspeakable statistics. Five National Collegiate Athletic Association, 14 Southeastern Conference and 28 University of Florida records speak volumes about Tim and what kind of performance could be expected from him. Playing for the University of Florida, Tim threw 9,285 yards and an amazing 88 touchdowns in four seasons, setting more league records in his final season. In the last season, he led the Florida Gators to Sugar Bowl championship. He threw 2,895 yards with 21 touchdowns.
However, it’s time for professional football and Tim would have to improve up the ante if he wants to make a name for himself. He said that he was excited by the challenges that playing in the NFL and being a quarterback presented to the 22-year old. Tebow isn’t expected to adjust to the pro level of the game play too quickly. The team and fans would have to wait until the impact of Tebow’s addition to the Broncos can be felt but they can be sure that the 6 foot 3 inch 240 pounds quarterback would be a big name on the Broncos roster in the coming year.
The buzz around Tim Tebow though has already been rising. He is already a fan favourite and his Jersey has been out selling everyone else on the Broncos squad. There are those who think that this is too much attention for the 22-year old to handle. If his teammates’ judgements can be trusted then that shouldn’t be a concern. “I'm sure he can handle it," said 10-year veteran Russ Hochstein. Others believed that the pressure of being in the public eye and unreasonably high expectations are actually good for the young athlete. Friends and peers say that Tim is the kind of person that shines under pressure. He would have to be because from here on the pressure is only going to build.
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