Elway on verge of pushing Tebow out of Denver?

By Adam Silverstein
April 4, 2011

Though he has denied the rumors since he has taken the job, nothing that new Denver Broncos president John Elway has done – regardless of the damage control he is trying to send through the media – has indicated that he believes former Florida Gators quarterback Tim Tebow is his starting signal-caller of the future.

Denver has been taking a very close look at a number of athletic rookie QBs including Cam Newton, Blaine Gabbert and Colin Kaepernick and plans to select a passer in the first two rounds of the 2011 NFL Draft, according to ESPN’s John Clayton and Sports Illustrated’s Tony Pauline.

“[Elway’s] bold enough to think Tebow isn’t the answer. […] I’m starting to think Elway might take a QB in the second round and call the Tebow selection a mistake,” Clayton opined based on what he is hearing around the league.

Pauline shared a similar but more fact-based sentiment. “Sources have told us a while ago they expect the Denver Broncos to draft a quarterback this year and it could be early,” he wrote on Sunday. “Many familiar with the situation told us Tim Tebow is not the quarterback for John Elway – and with the future Hall of Fame passer calling many of the shots for the franchise a signal caller is a priority.”

This is all coming to light exactly two months after Elway and new head coach John Fox indicated without much provocation that veteran Kyle Orton would most likely start the season as the team’s quarterback.

Tebow, who has quickly become a fan favorite in Mile High, is already one of the most popular players in the NFL and has a ton of support from the Broncos faithful, may never get the chance to prove himself to management over a full season after having relative success in three starts to end 2010.

Asked two weeks ago by the Denver Post why the Broncos were working out so many signal callers, Elway had this to say: “We’re always looking for that guy. We may already have the guy who can pull the trigger and win us a championship someday. We may have him. We don’t know. We believe in Tim, but he’s not there yet.”

Contrary to Elway’s statement, the way he and the Denver front office are looking for a quarterback this offseason, it does not appear they believe in Tebow much at all.

Photo Credit: Doug Pensinger/Getty Images

13 Comments

  1. GatorCooken says:

    Being a wining QB isn’t always who throws the prettiest ball, or who can hit that 15 yard out route perfectly. It’s about who wins, who inspires their team to play better, and brings an intensity to the field. Sure his mechanics and footwork could be improved, so could have Favre’s. Tebow deserves a chance and IMO, this is absolutely stupid to not even give Tim ONE YEAR as starter to even see how he does. Elway wants to find a QB that reminds him of himself, and apparently Tim is not that guy. This could all be smokescreens, but it is sounding more and more likely that Elway has no faith whatsoever. Maybe that’s because the guy was a ROOKIE last year and only played 3 games. Give him a chance! Will he succeed tremendously or fail? Nobody knows right now, but I saw nothing in the games he played last year that told me that he could not play at this level. In fact, it seemed like he did pretty damn good for a rookie. Just my opinion. End of my rant now, haha

  2. Mr2Bits says:

    Elway is finding every way possible ruin to ruin this team and he will do just that if he brings in someone like sCam Newton. Has he not read every combine report that talk about how Cam is a fake and will be problems on and off the field? Elway will run this team right into the ground and prove that he knows nothing about running a football organization in 3 years mark my words. He needs to step down and go back to his car dealerships before he pisses off his fan base. If he had working eyes, he could see that QB(whether Orton or Tebow) was not the problem last year. It was their pathetic defense and O-Line.

  3. John S says:

    Could leave him open for another franchise at a discount…come on Jags…

    • g8ter27 says:

      That is what I am saying. Of course if he does come to Jax I would probably lose all the empty seats around me I use for foot rests, the ones for my food and jacket and the ones to hold my other belongings like empty beer cups and stuff.

  4. G8TRKYLE says:

    Tebow was statistically better than Bradford in his first 3 starts compared to Bradford in his first 3, and believe the same W-L record. Elway would be out of his mind to draft Cam, and could hardly see that scenario playing out, and Gabbert likely won’t be available for him to select anyway. Hopefully all this talk is moot after the draft, and after the Broncos actually draft their true need positions. Listen to your fan base Elway, i.e. the people to which pay the money you are now in disputes with players over. Otherwise, I think you can be added to the growing list of ex-players suffering the irreversible effects of too many concussions during your playing career!

  5. Drew 4 Orange & Blue says:

    I don’t buy the smoke screen…mainly because the fact Orton was named the starter to me said they are not sold on Tebow…why not name him the stater…he already has 3 games under his belt in which most analyst even those who are not crazy about Tebow at this level said he played very well…you have new coach so if you take a few lumps early in the season as long as progress is made by year end the fans should be happy….Tebow is only going to help attendance as the starter as he is a fan favorite….it just adds up to Elway or Fox maybe both do not believe in Tebow…or maybe Elway doesn’t like the fact Tebow is getting so much love!!!!

  6. npgator says:

    Well then trade Tebow to someone who appreciates him! There are not too many good QBs in the NFL and Tebow certainly could be have a very positive impact on the right team.

  7. charlie says:

    Denver is a really dysfunctional franchise. They really cannot get it together. The sad part is that Tebow was overdrafted and is going to be a scapegoat for years to come. I never felt he deserved that type of pressure. Regardless of who they draft or if Tebow plays, the Broncos won’t be a winning team anytime soon because they lack talent at too many positions and Elway isn’t trained to be a GM.

  8. G8rgr8 says:

    Am I the only one that thinks Steve Young was not prototypical. He did alright. Youngs opinion is probably more accurate, and he likes Tebow! Elway was Great…. But without Shanahan, he didn’t do much in superbowls. Young said “you can’t deny, Tebow is a winner”!

  9. G8trpls says:

    Just because he was a great QB, doesn’t mean he’ll be a great executive. How many former player’s are horrible at evaluating talent and putting together a great team?

  10. Daniel M. says:

    Send him to Miami.

  11. C3 says:

    Tim just needs to hang on until Gruden takes his next gig (2012?).. then they’ll change offense in the NFL together.

  12. scooterp says:

    whatever. If they don’t want him, they don’t want him. Whatever team goes and gets him – he’ll be better off anyways. The whole regime that went after him in Denver is gone. I wouldn’t want to stick around on the bench anyway, with a team that can’t seem to make up their mind with what they want to do.

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