Jaguars Fans Hold Rally Calling for Tim Tebow
After the Jacksonville Jaguars finished the 2012 season tied for the worst record in the NFL (2-14), many fans expected them to shake things up and make some moves to improve their inept squad. Instead, they stayed with Blaine Gabbert at quarterback and didn’t target any of the high-profile free agents on the offseason market – including hometown hero Tim Tebow. Their stand-pat stance has resulted in a disastrous 0-2 start, during which they’ve managed just 11 points while looking like they may be the worst team in the league again.
The Jaguars have had several opportunities to acquire the region’s golden boy, but have denied any interest, which has angered local fans who witnessed Tebow’s greatness at the University of Florida. However, with Gabbert currently out with a hand injury and with the offense sputtering, fans aren’t seeing any excuses for the franchise to avoid Tebow mania and a group of those fans made their voices heard loud and clear on the topic this Monday.
According to ESPN.com, a contingent of 20 Jaguars fans held a rally in the EverBank Field parking lot Monday afternoon calling for the team to sign the free agent Tebow. The event lasted three hours and included nods to Tebow’s favorite bible verse.
Though the event didn’t garner a large turnout, its organizers plan to continue to express their desire for Tebow by having a rally every Monday, and they’ve even hired volunteers to make stickers, signs and get the word out on Twitter. The group has also created a website, jags-tebow.com, with this mission statement:
Make it clear, we the fans, want the Jacksonville Jaguars to bring in Tim Tebow. You know you want to see this happen.
Not everyone in the group is an avid Tebow supporter necessarily, but with the Jags seemingly destined for another last-place finish, they figure: What is there to lose?
“The Jaguars’ season is really in the tank,” said event organizer and Jacksonville native James Stewart. “They don’t have a lot of promise. There’s not a lot to watch. We’re consumers and the Jaguars are a product, and there’s a lot of room for improvement. Tebow we think would be value added if he were to be signed and given an opportunity at quarterback.”
Like Tebow or not, these guys seem to have a valid point. Tebow may not be the quarterback of the future, but many would argue he’s a better option than what the Jaguars are working with now (Chad Henne) and there’s no doubt that he would attract attention and consumerism to the franchise.
Of course, the Jaguars may not want some of that attention, as Tebow would undoubtedly come with the media circus that follows his every move. Then again, they’re likely to wind up the laughing stock of the league this year anyway, so why not take a chance for once?
Personally, I’d love to see Tebow get an opportunity at QB in Jacksonville, if for no other reason than to add some drama and excitement to a team I would otherwise pay no attention to. Is he a good quarterback? No, but he would certainly be fun to watch and he may even give the Jags a slightly better chance to win, or at least compete this season.
