# What does Tim Tebow lack as an NFL player? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [October 31, 2011, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-tim-tebow-lack-as-an-nfl-player/601355 "2011-10-31T04:44:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![armedmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@armedmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/armedmonkey)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2011, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-tim-tebow-lack-as-an-nfl-player/601355/21 "2011-10-31T23:30:42Z")
Much has been said of his throwing motion, but to me the best indicator is his feet. Sure, his feet are fine when he’s running, but inside the pocket they _suck_. It’s like he doesn’t know what to do with them, and because of that he ends up throwing off of his back foot or some body position that is even worse. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2011, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-tim-tebow-lack-as-an-nfl-player/601355/22 "2011-11-01T00:20:42Z")
> [@Mosier](#): > > Because he dominated college football like nobody in the past 20 years. I’ve never understood this. Unless you’re running a pro offense, I’m not impressed by what a QB does in college. Congratulations, you beat a bunch of teams running a spread offense that doesn’t work in the NFL. ---
**Author:** ![furt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/439d5e/32.png) [@furt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furt)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2011, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-tim-tebow-lack-as-an-nfl-player/601355/23 "2011-11-01T00:39:54Z")
> [@asterion](#): > > I’ve never understood this. Unless you’re running a pro offense, I’m not impressed by what a QB does in college. Congratulations, you beat a bunch of teams running a spread offense that doesn’t work in the NFL. Except that 1. College spread QBs _have_ had success in the NFL 2. Increasingly, nearly every college team uses elements of the spread. If you won’t look at QBs who ran the spread in college, you’re eliminating most of the talent pool. 3. Increasingly, nearly every PRO team uses elements of the spread. Lining up in the shotgun with three wideouts on first and ten and throwing a tunnel screen is not some gimmick: it’s the norm in the 2011 NFL. ---
**Author:** ![armedmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@armedmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/armedmonkey)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2011, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-tim-tebow-lack-as-an-nfl-player/601355/24 "2011-11-01T00:49:39Z")
> [@asterion](#): > > I’ve never understood this. Unless you’re running a pro offense, I’m not impressed by what a QB does in college. Congratulations, you beat a bunch of teams running a spread offense that doesn’t work in the NFL. But the thing is, the NFL doesn’t have a minor league system. College is the closest thing they have. A good eye will realize that a player like Tebow, though he dominated for three years (largely do to fitting like the perfect cog in that particular machine) may not have it. But a less skilled eye will look at his numbers, and _only_ his numbers an conclude that he will continue to win championships while forgetting that they are not drafting the whole team. That’s what the Broncos did. They got blinded by him winning the Heisman as a sophomore and the Gators continuing to win. He did have a lot of doubters when he was drafted. Many said he would be a better as an H back than a quaterback. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2011, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-tim-tebow-lack-as-an-nfl-player/601355/25 "2011-11-01T00:52:17Z")
No, Josh McDaniels got blinded. The man is an idiot and I don’t understand why anyone, at this point, would take anyone coming out of the Patriots’ system who isn’t actually named Bill Belichick. I hope Elway kicks Tebow to the curb. ---
**Author:** ![armedmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@armedmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/armedmonkey)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2011, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-tim-tebow-lack-as-an-nfl-player/601355/26 "2011-11-01T00:55:30Z")
> [@asterion](#): > > No, Josh McDaniels got blinded. 😃 I can’t argue that one. ---
**Author:** ![Yaxche](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8dc957/32.png) [@Yaxche](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yaxche)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2011, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-tim-tebow-lack-as-an-nfl-player/601355/27 "2011-11-01T14:49:04Z")
He has a terribly slow release and can’t really hit the broad side of a barn, that’s what it comes down to. Accuracy might be the single defining quality of the modern NFL quarterback, even a QB with average arm strength can find a job if he can connect on 60+% of his throws. He doesn’t throw a pretty ball either, but that’s not as important. Kurt Warner threw a lot of ducks, too, particularly post thumb injury, but they got where they were supposed to go… ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2011, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-tim-tebow-lack-as-an-nfl-player/601355/28 "2011-11-01T15:47:30Z")
Against college-level defenders, he was a hell of a rusher – and when the other side is busy countering _ **that,** _ he passes especially well. Against pros, he’s not nearly as scary on the ground – and so they have a much easier time stopping him in the air. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2011, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-tim-tebow-lack-as-an-nfl-player/601355/29 "2011-11-01T16:46:43Z")
> [@asterion](#): > > I’ve never understood this. Unless you’re running a pro offense, I’m not impressed by what a QB does in college. Congratulations, you beat a bunch of teams running a spread offense that doesn’t work in the NFL. Somebody should tell Tom Brady and Cam Newton. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2011, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-tim-tebow-lack-as-an-nfl-player/601355/30 "2011-11-01T17:06:52Z")
Right. All the top QBs in the NFL were successful college QBs. They just didn’t win the Heisman, which usually goes to the most visible player, not necessarily the best. ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2011, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-tim-tebow-lack-as-an-nfl-player/601355/31 "2011-11-01T17:11:09Z")
Tom Brady barely won the starting job in college and I’m pretty sure Michigan ran a pro style offense under Lloyd Carr. So, I would not classify him a wildly successful college QB in a spread offense. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2011, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-tim-tebow-lack-as-an-nfl-player/601355/32 "2011-11-01T17:30:48Z")
Who said anything about college? **asterion** is claiming the spread doesn’t work in the NFL. ---
**Author:** ![markdash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@markdash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markdash)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2011, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-tim-tebow-lack-as-an-nfl-player/601355/33 "2011-11-01T18:01:53Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Who said anything about college? **asterion** is claiming the spread doesn’t work in the NFL. Spread != Spread Option. What the Patriots are running in New England is vastly different from what the Auburn Tigers were running last year, or what the Oregon Ducks are running, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2011, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-tim-tebow-lack-as-an-nfl-player/601355/34 "2011-11-01T18:21:11Z")
Not really. The only difference is that Brady doesn’t run. ---
**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:** [November 1, 2011, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-tim-tebow-lack-as-an-nfl-player/601355/35 "2011-11-01T18:29:18Z")
Like the old cliche goes, football is a game of inches. Tim Tebow isn’t a bad player. He’s a really good player. But the NFL is full of people who are really _really_ good players. So somebody who’s merely really good is going to do terribly once they reach the pro level. ---
**Author:** ![Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimmy_Chitwood)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2011, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-tim-tebow-lack-as-an-nfl-player/601355/36 "2011-11-01T18:44:50Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Not really. The only difference is that Brady doesn’t run. This is a pretty crazy thing to say, even if you didn’t mean that was literally the only difference. Not only are there differences other than that, that’s a pretty huge difference when you’re comparing to an option offense, isn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![markdash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@markdash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markdash)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2011, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-tim-tebow-lack-as-an-nfl-player/601355/37 "2011-11-01T18:45:01Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Not really. The only difference is that Brady doesn’t run. Well, that’s sort of important, isn’t it? The spread option is primarily a running offense. The generic spread is a passing offense. They have some formations in common but their plan of attack is vastly different. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2011, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-tim-tebow-lack-as-an-nfl-player/601355/38 "2011-11-01T19:10:06Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Like the old cliche goes, football is a game of inches. Tim Tebow isn’t a bad player. He’s a really good player. But the NFL is full of people who are really _really_ good players. So somebody who’s merely really good is going to do terribly once they reach the pro level. Exactly- there have been MANY guys who’ve won the Heisman Trophy and/or college championships but who just weren’t good enough to make it in the NFL. If TIm Tebow is one of them (like Charlie Ward, Tony Rice, Tommy Frazier, Danny Wuerffel, Gino Toretta, James Street, Pat Sullivan, Tom Clements, Tee Martin, Matt Leinart, Josh Heupel, Chris Weinke… the list goes on), there’s no disgrace in that. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2011, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-tim-tebow-lack-as-an-nfl-player/601355/39 "2011-11-01T19:15:24Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > Exactly- there have been MANY guys who’ve won the Heisman Trophy and/or college championships but who just weren’t good enough to make it in the NFL. If TIm Tebow is one of them (like Charlie Ward, Tony Rice, Tommy Frazier, Danny Wuerffel, Gino Toretta, James Street, Pat Sullivan, Tom Clements, Tee Martin, Matt Leinart, Josh Heupel, Chris Weinke… the list goes on), there’s no disgrace in that. One other name which belongs on that list, and amuses me no end…Steve Spurrier. 1966 Heisman winner at Florida, 10 year NFL career, but he only started 38 games (and 12 of those were as the QB for the expansion Buccaneers in '76). He probably contributed more in the NFL as a punter than as a QB. ---
**Author:** ![RyJae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9d8465/32.png) [@RyJae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RyJae)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2011, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-tim-tebow-lack-as-an-nfl-player/601355/40 "2011-11-01T19:41:09Z")
Tim lacks the UFO help that Brees got! Actually I personally think they ruined him by allowing him to play before getting better at QB fundamentals he was lacking on his entrance to the NFL. And I think that has been done before (Ryan Leaf etc) > **[Most Exciting Thing About The Saints-Colts Game: Possible UFO Sighting](https://www.huffpost.com/entry/ufo-nfl-game_n_1033966)** > > Most Exciting Thing About The Saints-Colts Game: Possible UFO Sighting [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-tim-tebow-lack-as-an-nfl-player/601355.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-tim-tebow-lack-as-an-nfl-player/601355.md?page=3)