There is no escaping the media sensation that is Tim Tebow. The guy is a third string quarterback at best, yet you see him on the ESPN headlines just about as much as any other starter. Lately he has made headlines for being cut from the New England Patriots, releasing him back into the free agent market until some other team picks him up just to get some publicity and excitement flowing.
Tebow is so loved by the media, though, that even when sitting in an airport in Vancouver, I was still presented with breaking news about the former University of Florida Heisman winner. I was startled that he was making news headlines in Canada, which got me thinking that his diffusion into media was a lot more serious than I previously thought. With nothing better to do, I started listening to the two Canadian newscasters talk about Tebow like he should be an important asset to any team and then, they said it:
“Maybe Tim Tebow needs to consider joining the Canadian Football League.”
At first I just laughed because the prospect of going from being an NFL quarterback to training with a CFL team would be a major shot to a man’s pride. For Tebow, it would mean a whole new barrage of criticism and snickering, as if he doesn’t get enough already. But think about that idea just a little bit more. Think about Tebow’s future in the NFL and think about his possible future in the CFL. The move makes sense.
Being a fan of the NFL can make you pretty closed-minded at times. The strength and lore of the league makes it hard to recognize any other football association as legitimate because, compared to the NFL, they just do not match up. Regardless, these other leagues do exist because, to put it plainly, not all countries want to watch Americans play football. We may not think of these other leagues as serious and competitive athletic competition, but a world of sports does exist outside our major leagues in the United States. To make a humbling comparison, it is similar to how European countries think of our little Major League Soccer.
A move like this may be a devastating shot to Tebow’s dream of becoming an NFL quarterback, which he so boldly tweeted about last week, but he realistically needs to consider it.
The CFL has been an incubator for numerous NFL players in the past who were just not good enough to play in the NFL at that time. What Tebow needs right now more than anything is playing time and reps. His decision-making skills are lagging and he is vulnerable to the sack, which will continue to put his career in jeopardy unless he is able to get out onto the field. No NFL team in their right mind would put him out as a starter and therefore he would fall to the position of practice squad QB.
Tebow may never be able to start as an NFL quarterback, but he would definitely be wasting his time by sitting on the sidelines. The lower skill level in the CFL would give him the opportunity to play quality minutes, albeit against lesser quality players, and gain the experience necessary to quicken his wits.
He has shown that he has the drive and work ethic it takes to be successful in the pros, but his stubbornness in accepting nothing less than a quarterback role in the NFL could lead to his demise. With such promise and accomplishment coming out of college, it would be a shame to see his professional football career end without at least a trial run in the CFL.
Joining the CFL would mean endless jokes and the most media coverage Canadian football has ever seen, but with his current skillset, Tebow will never be anything but a second or third stringer. The list of players who have come from the CFL to the NFL includes some impressive (even Super Bowl winning) names, such as Doug Flutie and Warren Moon, so obviously playing in the CFL is not a career-ending decision. For Tebow, it would be a fresh start in a new league where he would have a legitimate chance to excel and improve, exactly what he needs in order to have pro scouts back on his case.
I hope my Canadian newscasters are right and that CFL teams do approach Tebow because it really would be a productive opportunity for him and maybe with him up in Canada, our media can finally move on to some fresher news to cover.
