Tim Tebow has heard that Boomer Esiason thinks the Jets should cut him, and he’s taking it the way he always takes criticism: By killing the critics with kindness.
When asked by reporters today about the comments from Esiason, who played quarterback for the Jets for three seasons, the Bengals for 10 and the Cardinals for one, Tebow said he has great respect for the man.
“I’ve heard nothing but great things about Mr. Esiason,” Tebow said, in comments distributed by the team. “I know he was a great player here, and I just wish him nothing but the best in his announcing and God bless him.
As for the particular criticisms of Tebow as a quarterback who can’t throw the ball and “played some of the worst football that any quarterback has ever played in the history of the game,” Tebow said he’s used to it by now.
“I’ve pretty much heard a lot of it,” Tebow said. “From when I was in high school, when they said I couldn’t be a high school quarterback, when I was in college and my first year they told me ‘you’ll never play quarterback,’ and then, ‘you can never win a championship,’ and ‘you’ll never play in the NFL.’ I’ve heard a lot of it and I just continue to use that as motivation and when I get my opportunities, try to make the most of them, just be the person that I am and not let that get me too excited or too down, but just be who I am and go out there and work as hard as I can every day and try and improve and be the best football player/quarterback that I can be.”
Some would say Tebow has heard it all before because his deficiencies as a passer have been on display many times before. But Tebow obviously knows he’s not going to change anyone’s mind with words. The only place Tebow can prove Esiason and the many who agree with him wrong is on the field.