Tim Tebow is a name that has not graced the NFL in a year-and-a-half, but he is now back, signing a one-year contract with the Philadelphia Eagles.
The news was made official on Monday, April 20, 2015, and is already producing a lot of reaction from football fans everywhere.
Some view the news as comical; Tebow’s status as the hottest player in the league to being cut in preseason has been a subject of ridicule and mockery by football fans.
Sophomore Nik Kapoor says, “The best Tebow will do is compete with Matt Barkley for the Eagles third-string quarterback role. He will not play well for the Eagles.”
However, there are a few people who take this news seriously. As much as people seem to forget, Tebow was the hottest player in the league at one point, and, disregarding his fizzling-out with the Jets and the Patriots, was always a good quarterback.
I am one of those people who feel that Tebow’s stint with the Eagles may not be just another laughable Tim Tebow memory. There are a number of reasons why I believe Tim Tebow can fly as an Eagle.
The biggest reason is the determination to do well. Tebow is not as stupid as people think he is; he is aware he has been one of the biggest laughing stocks of the NFL over the last couple of years. He knows that Philadelphia is perhaps his last chance to shine and prove that he is not a washed-up, sitting duck from the 2012 playoffs. With a point to prove, he may play better this time around.
Another reason is the remarkably easy quarterback race in Philadelphia. He will go against fellow new Eagles acquisition Sam Bradford and fellow former-New York Jet Mark Sanchez for the starting position. Sure, Bradford is not that bad and Sanchez had a great comeback last season, but Tebow, when at his best, is better than both of them. If he brings that fire again, there is no doubt in my mind that he will be the Eagles’ starting quarterback.
If you asked me if Tebow is washed-up, I would say yes – currently. However, not being in top-form does not rule out he can get there once again. Just ask Michael Vick and Mark Sanchez.
Vick, the number one overall pick of the 2001 NFL Draft, enjoyed an exceptional career with the Atlanta Falcons (where he set records for quarterback rushing yards) until eclipsed by a dogfighting scandal that led to 21 months of imprisonment and Chapter 11 bankruptcy. His NFL career was thought to be over when he was released by the Falcons after failed trade proposals.
The Eagles then picked him up in 2009. During his second year there, he took over the starting position from the departed Donovan McNabb and led the Eagles to a division title, winning the NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award.
Think: Vick was once a key asset to his team, spiraled into infamy, and was resigned after an extended absence from the league by the Eagles and played like his old self never left. Tebow is, eerily, nearly identical to 2010 Vick, and he can capitalize just like the fallen Falcon once did.
Also, there is current Eagle, Mark Sanchez. After being laughed out of the Jets roster and relevance, Sanchez joined the Eagles and proved his doubters wrong. The Eagles finished 10-6, and, although they did not make the playoffs because of the 7-8-1 division-winning Carolina Panthers, had a good season.
Tebow can redeem himself just like both of these men.
Now, I am not saying I think Tebow will play like the old Tebow. It would not surprise me at all if he continued his slump, as he failed with both the Jets and the Patriots. I am just saying I believe he can, and the Eagles are justified in taking this bluff.
No matter anybody’s stance, Tebow now wears the green of the Philadelphia Eagles. Whether it will be “Tebow Time” again is yet to be seen.
Will Tebow finally clear his name with all his critics in Philadelphia? Why or why not?
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