Tim Tebow has yet to play a regular-season game for the New York Jets, but his presence in the media capital of the world already has generated tremendous attention, leading team owner Woody Johnson to observe this week that, "you can never have too much Tebow."
By Howard Smith, US Presswire
New York Jets quarterback Tim Tebow says he doesn't listen to talk about quarterback controversies.
By Howard Smith, US Presswire
New York Jets quarterback Tim Tebow says he doesn't listen to talk about quarterback controversies.
The irrepressibly upbeat 25-year-old quarterback, who will operate the Jets' "wildcat'' package and serve as Mark Sanchez's backup, spoke this week with USA TODAY Sports' Jon Saraceno.
Q: Do you still enjoy proving your critics wrong?
A: I definitely feel that (about) people who doubt what I can do. (Laughing) It's not hard to find that. At the same time, you try not to listen to them, but you hear them. You don't live under a rock. I try to use it as motivation when I do hear it. It's about believing in yourself, your God-given ability and your work ethic. It's about being a great role model and setting an example for kids. People say, 'How do you do that?' You have to show them that you can do something (others say you can't) by believing in yourself and your teammates.
Q: Do you cringe when you hear the phrase "quarterback controversy?''
A: (Laughing) I've heard that so much since I was young that, honestly, I try to tune everything out â€" including that. The media will make a controversy out of anything, if they can.
Q: How difficult is it to learn yet another offensive scheme?
A: It definitely takes extra time. This is my third system in three years. Another thing is getting used to the style of coaches. Every coach is different â€" from (Florida's) Urban Meyer to (the Denver Broncos') Josh McDaniels and John Fox to (the Jets' Rex) Ryan and (Tony) Sparano. You don't know exactly how a coach is going to do something until it happens. It's an ongoing process.
Q: Do fans underestimate the difficulty of trying to assimilate in a new organization?
A: There is definitely a transition. There are always going to be some growing pains . . . fitting in, learning new teammates. But there's also a sense of newness â€" that fresh-car feeling. That is exciting. It's not like I wouldn't be super-excited in Denver, but at the same time I can honestly say I love being here.
Q: What's different?
A: It's a little bit rejuvenating with some of the (new) people you are around; they love what they do. That's the one cool thing about the coaches I play for â€" those guys really love ball; they love the game. They are passionate about it. It's not something they fake. Players can see that. They're out there coaching hard. It is fun to be around coaches like that.
Q: You ended last season as a starting quarterback. Now you are a backup. How do you feel about that?
A: It was fun last year. It was a special opportunity. We had a blast. I have a lot of great memories. I don't know what my future holds … but I am excited about it. It's a great situation and I am enjoying it.
Q: Is it your intention to again one day start as an NFL quarterback?
A: I am competitively aggressive. My dream since I was a young boy was to be an NFL quarterback. I am living that dream. Who knows what the future holds?
Q: Does the uncertainty motivate you?
A: So many times in my life there has been uncertainty â€" from Pop Warner to my freshman year in high school (when coaches told me), 'You play tight end and linebacker. That's what you're going to do here.' At the same time, you can't listen to what people say, what they write or what people think. You have to only worry about what you believe in, what you're goal is, and not listen to all the other voices. That is something that's so easy to say but so hard to do. It's something I kind of learned my freshman year (at Florida), and I'm continuing to work on it.
Q: What is the best part about playing for the Jets?
A: It's exciting being here. I am hoping to help this team win football games. I'm not just saying this to say it, but I think we have a team with a bunch of good guys. They're great guys who try to do things the right way, all the way from (quarterback) Mark Sanchez to (linebacker) Bart Scott. I feel like, depending on how we can rally together and (our) chemistry, we have the talent and the belief. It's about coming together.
Q: What are the pros and cons of living in New York?
A: Some of the cons are that I want to be a normal guy. I view myself as a normal person, not more special, not more important than anybody else. God made us all the same and loves us all the same. You want to go out there and live a normal life. . . . Go to the movies or to Dave and Busters and mess around with your brothers and friends. Some of the (attention) does get tiring.
A lot of my best friends are the ones I've had since I've been very young. They view me more as Timmy than Tebow. People now know me by that football name. At the same time, as much as you would like to be normal, I am very blessed I am not. I will tell you why: I can walk into a hospital and make a kid smile. I mean, how cool is that?
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