Tim Tebow accepted the cowardly criticism by underachieving teammates with the grace and dignity that mark his character. Wish it could rub off on the other New York Jerks.
“I think some frustration and I guess some sadness,” Tebow said when asked how he felt. “It’s never fun to hear criticism, but at the same time, it’s something I’ve always used as motivation, and you try to get stronger from it. That’s how I approach it. I always find the good and the positive from every situation. The positive from this is (I’ve) got to work a little bit harder and improve and build better relationships with your teammates.”
Perfect, mature response to disloyal teammates who actually play in the games and have contributed to the Jets’ 3-6 record. So the question is, if Tebow is “terrible,” as some told the New York Daily News, then what are they? Super terrible?
“I’ve heard criticism my whole life playing football,” Tebow went on. “You try to do your best at handling it. Understanding on one side you just try to make it motivate you, but at the same time, it always has somewhat of an effect on you. You’re human and it’s not always fun to have people say negative things about you, but you try to be stronger from it. It always has made me stronger in the past and it will continue to be.”
What, exactly, has Tim Tebow done to anyone, especially the Jets, except get them more coverage than they deserve? He’s been a model teammate. He works hard. He says the right thing. He even appears to be genuine. For those reasons alone Tebow should be a revered teammate.
And yet the sorry Jets chose to rip him for no reason whatsoever. And, like scared little boys, they do so anonymously. Weak. This whole Tebow fascination the last two years has been amazing. It’s been amazing how writers and fans alike “hate” him because he’s “overrated,” when all he has done is win football games when given the opportunity.
“You can’t control a lot of things,” Tebow said. “This is something I can’t control, but I can control my attitude, my effort and my work ethic. Those are things that never change regardless what anyone says.”
Tebow walked into the Jets’ locker room with his head high Wednesday and looked his coward critics in the eye.
“I’m a Jet now and I’m proud to be a Jet, and it’s an honor to be in this locker room with a lot of great guys,” Tebow said. “I feel like it’s my job to get better every single day and contribute to this team, and I can say that every single time I step on that field as a New York Jet, I’ve played and tried as hard as I possibly can to help this team win football games. (I’m) one of the first guys here, last guys to leave, and try to be a great teammate as well.”
His teammates — the same teammates he beat on a 95-yard drive last year when he was with Denver, by the way — have a lot to learn from Tebow. The bet here is that they won’t.
“You can’t stop and wonder why; that doesn’t help me,” Tebow said. “It doesn’t help me do anything, just makes you think about it more. That’s not who I am and who I want to be.”
Tebow is a high-character guy that it seems impossible to dislike. He’s a mature, loyal teammate. A winner. Which is more than what can be said about his teammates.
