Tim Tebow might be the No. 2 quarterback on the Jets’ depth chart, but he’s the only one considered one of the best players in football by his peers.
Tebow was ranked 95th on the NFL Network’s list of the Top 100 players in the league as voted on by the players. Jets’ starter Mark Sanchez is not on the list.
“It’s a huge honor for me and something I’m very thankful for,” Tebow told NFL Network. “Because as a player when you put in all the hard work, you want to be respected by your teammates and your competitors and the people you go against every single week and it truly is an honor for me to be on this list. There are so many great players in the NFL for just a few of them to respect me enough to put me on this list means a lot.”
Tebow isn’t the only New York quarterback to make the grade. The Giants’ Eli Manning, who was left off last year’s list, sparking outrage among Big Blue fans, made it this time. The NFL has not said where Manning sits on the list, because the initial episode of the 11-part series only revealed players 100-91.
The Jets acquired Tebow from the Broncos last month, and plan on using him in a variety of roles this fall. The piece on NFL Network acknowledged Tebow’s play goes through long stretches of looking ugly. But his ability to lead comebacks in Denver won over his peers as it did fans.
Now, he gets to try to do it again — as a Jet.
“I’m so blessed to be in a great organization in New York, and I’m excited to be a Jet, as I told everybody, and I’m really looking forward to this opportunity,” Tebow said. “I think it’s going to be great and [I’m] just trying to work hard every single day to become a better player. I’m never satisfied with what I’ve done or where I’ve been.”