The Jaguars, they of the two convincing losses to start the season and an anemic offense that has managed an NFL-worst nine points, may need some sort of miracle to stay competitive this season.
A pocket of Jaguars fans believe they know the man for the job. The group of believers staged a rally in Tim Tebow’s name on Monday in Jacksonville’s EverBank Field parking lot, campaigning in the belief that the former Bronco, Jet, Patriot and University of Florida quarterback may resurrect the team’s chances.
The gathering — which, according to the Florida Times-Union, numbered about 40 — began at 3:16 p.m., and lasted until 6:32 p.m. — three hours, 16 minutes — in reference to the John 3:16 biblical verse Tebow etched within his eyeblack at Florida.
The group, according to the newspaper, plans to meet religiously during that time slot every Monday to call on the Jaguars’ front office to bring in the former Heisman Trophy winner.
“It’s the perfect time in our view to do a Tebow experiment,” Tebow zealot and event organizer James Stewart told ESPN. “Whether you like him or not, I think everyone would watch. It would be compelling.”
In the past, Jacksonville’s ownership has balked at the “compelling” nature of signing Tebow, stating emphatically the team was not interested in the recent Patriot cast-off.
“I can’t imagine a scenario where he’d be a Jacksonville Jaguar,” general manager David Caldwell said in his introductory press conference in January.
Jaguars fans have been long clamoring for the Jacksonville-raised quarterback, which started when the then-Bronco was placed on the trade market by the newly Peyton Manning-led Broncos.
The only teams reportedly interested in his services were the Jaguars, Rams and Jets — the latter of which offered a fourth-round pick, which bagged them a Mark Sanchez backup (who was almost never actually used at the quarterback position), and a complete team failure, which Tebow could not save, ensued.
Now, as the free-agent quarterback waits in the wings and CFL rumors swirl, the fan group has formed and has created a website — jags-tebow.com — to alert Caldwell, and current Jaguars cross-bearing, injured quarterback Blaine Gabbert along with fill-in Chad Henne, that they have faith help can be on the way.
“Love him or hate him,” a post on the website reads, “Tim Tebow behind center in a Jacksonville Jaguar uniform would change everything.”