# Can someone explain how Tim Tebow won Heisman and why he sucks now? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [August 17, 2013, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-how-tim-tebow-won-heisman-and-why-he-sucks-now/666463 "2013-08-17T00:49:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2013, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-how-tim-tebow-won-heisman-and-why-he-sucks-now/666463/61 "2013-08-22T20:44:06Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > It’s not just quarterbacks- until 1985, there were NO Heisman winners in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. OJ Simpson and Roger Staubach were both inducted in 1985. > > A lot of stellar Heisman winning running backs never amounted to much in the pros, either: John Cappeletti, Archie Griffin, Charles White, Mike Rozier, Rashaan Salaam, Ron Dayne… None of those guys were terrible either with the exception of Salaam and Dayne; Rozier was a 2 time Pro Bowler, White a 1 time Pro Bowler, Cappeletti played for 10 years in the NFL, and Griffin played 7. I think the thing with Tebow is that he looks really terrible; there’s an article on [bleacherreport.com](http://bleacherreport.com) this morning about how he’s actually declined in skill over the past few years somehow. It’s not like he’s a competent backup QB a-la Steve DeBerg or Jon Kitna, he’s just some guy who has a lot of hype and not so much in the skills department. ---
**Author:** ![Death\_of\_Rats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a6a055/32.png) [@Death\_of\_Rats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Death_of_Rats)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2013, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-how-tim-tebow-won-heisman-and-why-he-sucks-now/666463/62 "2013-08-22T21:10:50Z")
That [bleacherrrport.com](http://bleacherrrport.com) article is brutal. Scouts are now saying that they don’t recognize him as the Tebow who came out of Florida. He is not even being considered fit for CFL or AFL. That is a sad decline. The speculation is that there may be undisclosed physical issues from his playing days in Florida and Denver. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2013, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-how-tim-tebow-won-heisman-and-why-he-sucks-now/666463/63 "2013-08-22T21:39:11Z")
> [@Death\_of\_Rats](#): > > He is not even being considered fit for CFL or AFL. A friend has a video rental place; he’ll pay a tad over minimum wage if he’s willing to sign autographs and do midnights every other. Pass it on. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2013, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-how-tim-tebow-won-heisman-and-why-he-sucks-now/666463/64 "2013-08-22T22:02:37Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > Yup, it was Josh McDaniels who was the head coach for the Broncos who drafted Tebow, well ahead of every projection out there. No one really knows why he did it, other than the fact that McDaniels was simply a horrible head coach who had no business at the helm. This bears repeating. He has no business taking snaps, but I still loved watching Timmy run for Denver. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2013, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-how-tim-tebow-won-heisman-and-why-he-sucks-now/666463/65 "2013-08-23T00:37:15Z")
As a Chefs fan, that draft pick brought me a tremendous amount of joy. It was sad seeing Denver come to their senses and get rid of both Tebow \*and \*McDaniels. They couldn’t have kept at least one of them?! ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2013, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-how-tim-tebow-won-heisman-and-why-he-sucks-now/666463/66 "2013-08-23T02:33:45Z")
> [@Death\_of\_Rats](#): > > That [bleacherrrport.com](http://bleacherrrport.com) article is brutal. Scouts are now saying that they don’t recognize him as the Tebow who came out of Florida. He is not even being considered fit for CFL or AFL. That is a sad decline. The speculation is that there may be undisclosed physical issues from his playing days in Florida and Denver. Warren Moon, who knows a thing or two about the CFL, was one of the few people saying all along that Tebow couldn’t cut it in Canadian football. He’s always said that, contrary to widespread belief in the USA, the CFL is all about passing, and Tebow doesn’t throw nearly well enough to make it there. ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2013, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-how-tim-tebow-won-heisman-and-why-he-sucks-now/666463/67 "2013-08-23T03:34:24Z")
> [@bump](#): > > I think the thing with Tebow is that he looks really terrible; there’s an article on [bleacherreport.com](http://bleacherreport.com) this morning about how he’s actually declined in skill over the past few years somehow. It’s not too surprising. He hasn’t played, for one. But other than that, he’s been working on changing his throwing motion. Not that his natural throw is anything but ugly, but his new motion is this unnatural mutant combination of his natural motion and a prototypical QB motion. For better or worse, he would have been better off as a QB sticking with his ingrained mechanics. Not that it would have made him even an average NFL QB, but it wouldn’t be quite as painful to watch. I guess he didn’t have much choice. His old throwing mechanic gets eaten alive by pass rushers, and he’d have an incredible number of strip sacks. At least he can still run. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2013, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-how-tim-tebow-won-heisman-and-why-he-sucks-now/666463/68 "2013-08-23T03:55:33Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > As a Chefs fan, that draft pick brought me a tremendous amount of joy. It was sad seeing Denver come to their senses and get rid of both Tebow \*and \*McDaniels. They couldn’t have kept at least one of them?! Give us a break, eh? We’re only halfway through preseason and we’re running out of starters. I love Bailey, for instance, but we need to stop depending on him–the guy’s awesome, but he’s a dinosaur. Losing Dumerville should have cost someone their job. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2013, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-how-tim-tebow-won-heisman-and-why-he-sucks-now/666463/69 "2013-08-23T13:01:01Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > For all the thanks god gets for his successes, maybe the all mighty deserves blame for the failures. Its God’s Will. “Thou Shalt Sucketh So Mucheth that drunken maids who’d raise green shirts to flash derelicts peeing on hubcaps in the parking lots while chanting “Jets Jets Jets” _Shalt Turn Their Backs On Thee!!!_” ---
**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2013, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-how-tim-tebow-won-heisman-and-why-he-sucks-now/666463/70 "2013-08-23T19:27:32Z")
> [@notfrommensa](#): > > @NFL\_STATS recently tweeted [this picture](https://twitter.com/NFL_Stats/status/369965159063638016/photo/1). > Basically it is saying that in the last 25 years, there have been 16 different QBs win the Heisman. > > Only one of them has ever won a NFL Playoff game. > > Yep, Tim Tebow. Of course to be fair, the jury is still out on Cam Newton and Robert Griffin III, both of whom are very good NFL starting QBs who have active chances to win playoff games. As for the subject in question, there is no doubt whatsoever that Tebow deserved the Heisman. Just look at his college stats: [Link.](http://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/tim-tebow-1.html) At times he looked like a man among boys. Now in the NFL all the others are as big and strong as him, so technique determines success, and Tim’s techniques need a lot of work. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2013, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-how-tim-tebow-won-heisman-and-why-he-sucks-now/666463/71 "2013-08-23T21:28:13Z")
It’s starting to sound like Tebow’s career is in hospice… > **[Tim Tebow's days with Patriots may be coming to end, gets no playing time vs....](https://sports.yahoo.com/news/nfl--tim-tebow-s-days-with-pats-may-be-coming-to-end--gets-no-playing-vs--lions-043959425.html)** > > The celebrated backup was relegated to the sideline as he's denied a chance to showcase his skills. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2013, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-how-tim-tebow-won-heisman-and-why-he-sucks-now/666463/72 "2013-08-31T17:07:12Z")
Thank you, USA Today for the breaking news alert that the Patriots released their 3rd string quarterback. Tebow can now start a mega church or get involved in far right wing politics, he has no business in the NFL ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2013, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-how-tim-tebow-won-heisman-and-why-he-sucks-now/666463/73 "2013-08-31T18:58:18Z")
It’s time for Tebow to get a job in broadcasting. I can’t imagine any other team signing him now. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2013, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-how-tim-tebow-won-heisman-and-why-he-sucks-now/666463/74 "2013-08-31T19:04:42Z")
I hear the Jets need a QB :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2013, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-how-tim-tebow-won-heisman-and-why-he-sucks-now/666463/75 "2013-08-31T20:36:15Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > It’s time for Tebow to get a job in broadcasting. I can’t imagine any other team signing him now. Have you heard him speak? He has a squeaky voice and he is not a smart or funny person. His broadcasting career would be as big a disaster as his NFL career. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2013, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-how-tim-tebow-won-heisman-and-why-he-sucks-now/666463/76 "2013-08-31T20:36:54Z")
It says sad things about our prospects for this season, but the Buffalo Bills should probably sign Tebow at this point. If God wants to give the world a sign, getting the Bills into the playoffs would certainly be seen as an indisputable miracle. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2013, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-how-tim-tebow-won-heisman-and-why-he-sucks-now/666463/77 "2013-08-31T21:02:05Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > It says sad things about our prospects for this season, but the Buffalo Bills should probably sign Tebow at this point. > > **If God wants to give the world a sign** , getting the Bills into the playoffs would certainly be seen as an indisputable miracle. He did, the Giants in 2007. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2013, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-how-tim-tebow-won-heisman-and-why-he-sucks-now/666463/78 "2013-08-31T21:15:51Z")
Isn’t there any team that still focuses on the run? That’s where Tebow could shine. Either handing off or running the ball himself. He does ok on short screen passes too. He just needs to get plugged into that run style of offense. ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2013, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-how-tim-tebow-won-heisman-and-why-he-sucks-now/666463/79 "2013-08-31T21:26:46Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Isn’t there any team that still focuses on the run? Not a single one. It’s not a winning strategy. Even if it were, there are better players, i.e. ones who can run AND pass better, like RGIII, Russell Wilson, Colin Kaepernick, Cam Newton, etc. At this point, trying to get Tebow to fit as a QB means building a team around him and also coming up with excuses for why college QBs with better skills shouldn’t be taken in the draft to replace him in a year. It doesn’t make sense unless the goal of your team is “give Tebow an excuse to be in the NFL, despite skill or desire to win”. ---
**Author:** ![furt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/439d5e/32.png) [@furt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furt)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2013, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-how-tim-tebow-won-heisman-and-why-he-sucks-now/666463/80 "2013-09-01T00:25:46Z")
> [@Great\_Antibob](#): > > The Tim Tebow thing is really a confluence of several factors. One is big SEC school with its national exposure and rabid fanbase. Another is big time coach (Urban Meyer has had success EVERYWHERE). But those are pretty common. > > The thing that really pushed it over the top was Tebow’s squeaky clean image combined with evangelical Christians making him their poster boy. > > Look at the major college QBs and their rabid fanbases. RGIII, Cam Newton, and Vince Young all have irrational fanbases and are from successful, national-championship caliber college programs. For reasons of homerism, Vince Young still has such fans in Houston. But their appeal didn’t extend past college football fans because they weren’t propped up as ideal examples of a religious movement as well. He was a legend in college because he was legitimately that good. By any objective criteria, he’s one of the 5 most successful college football players ever; he did more – WAY more – as a collegian than all of those guys. He was the most popular player on a national championship team as a true freshman, and went on from there; he was a nationally known for all four years, which is extremely rare. THAT was what started the hype machine. What made it go nuts was both the people who loved him (Evangelicals, but also lots of Skip Bayless “he’s a winner!” types) AND the people who hated him. Conflict drives TV ratings, and takes both sides. > [@RealityChuck](#): > > The single worst play for the Jets last year (yes, worse than the butt fumble\*) was when Tebow as the intended receiver at tight end. It was a perfect pass – that hit Tebow in the back of the helmet; he didn’t have the timing to turn around. > > \*Which occurred only because the center was shoved backwards unexpectedly. Yeah, i saw the play. It wasn’t clear to me whether his timing was off or Sanchez’ … but in any event taking a guy who’s never run patterns in a game in his life, giving him a few reps, and then expecting him and the QB to successfully execute a sideline timing route is a coaching mistake more than anything. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-how-tim-tebow-won-heisman-and-why-he-sucks-now/666463.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-how-tim-tebow-won-heisman-and-why-he-sucks-now/666463.md?page=5)