Associated Press
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — John Elway is barely into his first weekend as the Denver Broncos’ new chief of football operations and already he’s in damage-control mode.
Elway took to his Twitter account Saturday to deny speculation he would trade quarterback Tim Tebow.
The fuss started when Peter King strongly implied on NBC that Elway might trade Tebow to the team that hires former Broncos coach Josh McDaniels.
Elway has said on several occasions since being hired as the Broncos’ new vice president of football operations that Tebow is a good football player, but he has to become a good quarterback.
He’s also said Tebow’s famous work ethic will help him make the transition and that the next Broncos coach should be as big a believer in Tebow’s promise as he is.
In response to King’s report, Elway tweeted: “To clarify my thoughts on Tim Tebow… I think he’s a very good football player, and if anyone can turn themselves into a great QB, Tim can.”
“Myself and our entire organization think very highly of him. We are pleased with his first year as a Bronco,” Elway added in a second tweet.
His third was his strongest yet: “Any speculation that the Denver Broncos are considering moving Tim is completely false.”
Tebow, selected by McDaniels with the 25th pick in the NFL draft last April, played only sparingly in goal-line or short-yardage situations prior to McDaniels’ firing Dec. 6.
Interim head coach Eric Studesville installed Tebow as his starter after Kyle Orton sustained bruised ribs and endured two poor performances in a row.
Tebow went 1-2, rallying Denver from a 17-point halftime deficit to a 24-23 win over Houston and nearly pulling off a fourth-quarter comeback against San Diego a week later in the season finale.
Elway said he was impressed with Tebow’s play, especially considering he had such a paltry number of practice snaps during the season and threw just one pass until he supplanted Orton.
Tebow is the first NFL rookie quarterback since Minnesota’s Fran Tarkenton in 1961 to post four games with both a TD run and a TD pass.
“Tim Tebow is a darn good football player,” Elway said at his introductory news conference Wednesday. “What we have to make him is a darn good quarterback and that is what we have to figure out.
“If there is anybody that is going to give himself a chance to be a darn quarterback or a great quarterback it is going to be Tim Tebow because that is how devoted he is to it and how important it is for him to be a great football player,” Elway added.