Joe Mahoney/AP - Tim Tebow was named the Broncos starting quarterback on Tuesday following an inspiring second-half performance in a 29-24 loss to San Diego.
Even as Tim Tebow’s last-second Hail Mary fell incomplete on Sunday afternoon, keeping the Denver Broncos from a wild come-from-behind win, all signs pointed to the second-year quarterback getting his shot at the starting job following the team’s Week 6 bye. The Early Lead’s Matt Brooks detailed the case for Tebow one day after he replaced an utterly ineffective Kyle Orton in the second half against the Chargers:
It was always a matter of when, not if, for Tim Tebow and the Denver Broncos.
(JACK DEMPSEY/AP) - Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow is all smiles as he talks to the media after being named the team’s starting quarterback.
When would the team’s struggles with Kyle Orton at quarterback force new coach John Fox to make a change? When would the chorus of “We want Tebow” from the Mile High faithful become too loud to ignore? When would one of the most popular players in the NFL who has yet to accomplish anything finally get his chance to be “the guy” for the Broncos?
On Sunday the wait ended as Tebow replaced Orton with Denver trailing San Diego 23-10 to start the second half.
Despite a shaky start that saw him complete just one of five passes for zero yards, Tebow found some rhythm in the fourth quarter, showing his running ability with a 12-yard scamper and then tossing a 28-yard screen pass to Knowshon Moreno that went for a touchdown to pull the Broncos within 26-24.
Tebow was unable to lead his team all the way back, but the moxie he displayed on Denver’s final drive showed why the fans have been clamoring to see more of the second-year signal-caller — and why the Broncos may turn the reins over to him full-time following their bye week.
As expected, Broncos head coach John Fox made the quarterback change official on Tuesday, announcing that Tebow would be the team’s starter coming out of the bye week. As the Early Lead’s Cindy Boren reported:
Tim Tebow will be the starting quarterback of the Denver Broncos after the team’s bye this week.
Players were informed of the switch from Kyle Orton this morning, the Denver Post reported.
Tebow’s first game will be against the Dolphins in Miami, yes, Miami,on Oct. 23. That’s the same day the Dolphins plan to honor the 2008 University of Florida team that won the national title. And was quarterbacked by ... Tim Tebow.
So what prompted the decision other than Orton’s struggles and the team’s rocky start? And how did the two quarterbacks take the news? Here’s the report from an Associated Press story:
“Well, I think 1-4 has a lot to do with it,” Fox said. “We haven’t gotten it done as a football team. It’s not one guy. It’s not all Kyle Orton’s fault. But we do have to make adjustments, we have to change and we have to do something to win football games.”
Tebow said he was “honored to get this opportunity. I’m very excited. ... I just know that every day I’m going to come out here and practice every day I can.”
Orton said he was disappointed but vowed to support Tebow and the rest of his teammates.
“I’m disappointed with everything,” Orton said. “I wish I could have played better. I wish we had a better record. There’s a lot of things, but reality is what it is.”
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