There’s been a lot of outrage about the Jacksonville Jaguars signing former NFL quarterback Tim Tebow to a contract to try his hand at tight end, but before we get all bent out of shape about Tebow’s potential as a receiver at the highest level of football, perhaps we should take a good, hard look at his history as a receiver back when he was a quarterback. The New York Jets traded a couple of draft picks for Tim Tebow in 2012, hoping that he could be a “personal punt protector” and open things up for Gang Green’s offense in Wildcat packages. It didn’t happen, really — Tim Tebow ran 32 times for 102 yards that season — but in Week 3 of the 2012 season, the Jets unveiled Tebow’s potential as a receiver, and never used it again.
The play in question came with 6:47 left in the third quarter against the Dolphins, and the Jets had third-and-3 at their own 27-yard line. Pre-snap, Tebow went in motion from right to left, and the idea here was for quarterback Mark Sanchez to get the ball quickly to Tim Tebow in the flat for the first down.
Here’s what actually happened.
Sanchez threw the ball in such a way that it bounced off Tim Tebow’s helmet, a clear violation of offensive efficiency. However, this was NOT Tim Tebow’s fault. Clearly, Tim Tebow wasn’t ready for the throw, or by sheer virtue of his leadership, desire to win, and other intangibles, he would have taken the short pass for at least seven points, if not more. Also, the Jets’ coaching staff should have prepared for this inevitability with schematic diversity.
Had the Jets put together a route combination in which other receivers were in Tim Tebow’s vicinity, one of those receivers might have caught the ball careening off Tim Tebow’s head. This is something Jaguars head coach Urban Meyer should consider, as first-overall draft pick Trevor Lawrence has the ability to bank a pass off a guy’s helmet into the hands of another receiver. If Trevor Lawrence doesn’t have the skill to do this, well, maybe he’s overrated, and Tim Tebow can take his job. Perhaps that’s the secret plan in place.
The ball’s in your court, Coach Meyer. It’s gonna bounce off Tim Tebow’s head, and it’s up to you to be ready for it so that Tim Tebow can succeed as he’s clearly destined to do.