Tebow Finds a New Home in New England
By BEN SHPIGEL
The Jets released Tim Tebow six weeks ago, and the longer he went unsigned, the dimmer his N.F.L. prospects seemed. Arena football beckoned. So did Canada, if he wanted to go, which he did not. Only the N.F.L. would suffice, and now that Tebow is poised to return, it is with the benefit of hindsight that perhaps there was only one plausible destination for him all along.
That would be Foxborough, Mass., the home of the New England Patriots, who in recent years have become a haven of sorts for players seeking a second chance. By agreeing to sign with the Patriots, Tebow will try to resuscitate a career gone astray with a team that in spirit and in personality bears little resemblance to his former employer.
There is no whiff of a quarterback controversy, or history of unreasonable expectations, or atmosphere that welcomes attention. The possibility that fans will chant Tebow’s name during a September game at Gillette Stadium, for instance, is unfathomable, if not wholly absurd. Tom Brady’s backup, Ryan Mallett, will be higher on the depth chart than Tebow, who first must make the Patriots’ 53-man roster.
That quest is expected to begin Tuesday at minicamp. The Patriots have not announced the signing, which was first reported by ESPN, but it was confirmed by a person with knowledge of the organization’s plans who spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal was not official.
In his lost season with the Jets, Tebow was misled and marginalized, a poor fit for a team that lacked offensive creativity. The circumstances, at least in theory, are more favorable in New England.
Tebow will be reunited with Josh McDaniels, his coach in Denver. McDaniels, the Patriots’ offensive coordinator, has been a vocal advocate for Tebow, and he would probably welcome the opportunity to prove that his support was not misguided. Tebow will play for a coach, Bill Belichick, who values versatility in his players and has shown a willingness to use them in unorthodox roles, and at different positions. And Tebow will learn from Brady, one of the best quarterbacks ever.
Even if New England signed Tebow with the intent of using him at quarterback, Belichick — a close friend of Tebow’s coach at Florida, Urban Meyer — is bound to embrace the opportunity to deploy him elsewhere. In other words, what the Jets said they would do last year, but rarely did.
A truth of Belichick’s tenure in New England is his willingness to sign anyone if he thinks the player can produce. If he minimized the potential for distraction of Corey Dillon, Albert Haynesworth, Chad Johnson and Randy Moss, then he can probably do the same with Tebow, who is beloved by teammates for his work ethic but has a fervid following of fans because of his outspoken Christian faith.
New England’s structure de-emphasizes the individual, and Belichick is likely to keep Tebow away from the spotlight as much as possible. At least, perhaps, until Sept. 12, a Thursday night, when the Patriots host the Jets on national television. That could be the ultimate nightmare for the Jets: watching a player they barely used come back to haunt them. New England could give Tebow that chance.
Judy Battista contributed reporting.
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/11/sports/football/tim-tebow-finds-new-home-with-new-england-patriots.html------------------------------------
Think Belichick would like to rub Tebow in the Jets face? He'd love it.
BSB
