As of Monday, April 29, 2013 the Tebow Era of Jets Football is officially over. While it was hard to tell if this past season was defined by Tebow’s presence or Mark Sanchez’s Butt Fumble, Tebow brought a level of media-circus hype that would make even Rex Ryan blush. Now that it’s over, what’s in store for Tim Tebow?
These are the things you need to know.
#1 This is Dave Caldwell.
Dave Caldwell is the General Manager for the Jacksonville Jaguars, arguably the most likely fit for Tim Tebow. The Jaguars seemed like a potential suitor due to Tebow’s popularity in his native Jacksonville. His ability to sell out crowds in an otherwise stumbling franchise and the poor play of the current starting QB, Blaine Gabbert made it seem like Tebow was coming home. However, Jag’s GM Dave Caldwell has come out repeatedly, saying that the Jaguars don’t have an interest in acquiring Tim Tebow in any situation. No love for the hometown hero.
2. These are the Montreal Alouettes.
So if he can’t play for the Jaguars or the NFL, where does Tebow go? Well, the Montreal Alouettes are the CFL team with the rights to Tim Tebow, should he decide to play in the Great White North. Alouette is a french word for Lark. I guess the Montreal Larks didn’t have a favorable ring to it. The Al’s (as they are called) are not a problematic team to go to. In fact, they are arguably the most successful CFL franchise in recent history, going to the Grey Cup (Superbowl of CFL) eight times and winning three since 2000. The problem is how they got there.
3. This is Anthony Calvillo.
The Al’s were led by this man. Anthony Calvillo. Now you may not recognize him here in the States, but up in Canada, he’s a living legend. Anthony Calvillo actually leads ALL professional football players in passing yards. With almost 80,000 yards, he beats out Marino, Favre and Manning. He may not be a name in your household, but he’s doing all right for himself over in Montreal. What does this mean for Tebow? It means that even in the CFL, Tebow doesn’t have a chance of starting as Quarterback right away. Although Calvillo is now 40, he recently signed a two year extension for his contract. The official word from the Al’s? He can come compete to become a back-up for Calvillo.
4. The CFL is Actually Pretty Legit.
These are the Toronto Argonauts. They won the Grey Cup this year, which actually has a longer history than the Superbowl, dating back to 1909. The CFL is a proud league and it would not be likely that they would just let Tebow waltz in and take a starting spot in it without earning it over time like the other QB’s, especially if Tebow’s plan is use the CFL as a launching pad back into the NFL.
5. Tebow is a Big Boy.
That being said, there are benefits to Tebow playing in the CFL. The first thing to remember is that Tebow is huge. Standing at 6’3″ with a playing weight of 250 lbs. (see also: 1.91 m, 113Kg), Tebow is closer to the size and weight of the average CFL lineman (6’4, 270). Although Tebow has slimmed down in the off-season, he is still a physical specimen with speed, mobility and experience hitting bigger stronger NFL lineman (6’5″ 310).
6. The Field is Bigger Too.
There are a few notable differences in rules between the NFL and CFL, but the most relevant to Tebow is the size of the field. The CFL field is 110×65 yards as opposed to the NFL 100×53.5 yards. What does this mean for Tebow? It means two things. It means that he has more space to rush. A wider field gives him more room to do what he does best, which is to make miracles outside of the pocket. A larger field also means that there is more room for error in his weakest attribute, pass accuracy. The larger field puts more emphasis on the receiver’s ability to catch the ball over a defender. This means that the style of play could tip in Tebow’s favor.
7. A Proven Commodity is Better Than An Unproven One.
People don’t believe in things until they see them. Despite success at Florida and in Denver, Tebow has not consistently shown that if a team builds an offense around his abilities, they will be rewarded. In some ways, he’s fortunate that so many rushing quarterbacks are having success, but he still needs to show that he can be one of them, and that his arm won’t limit his potential. In order to do this, he needs to be on the field. To show the world he can do what so many people believe he can do, he needs to be starting as a quarterback, and perhaps there’s more hope for that in Canada.
