Tim Tebow Creates Niche in First Practice With Broncos

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- On his first day at training camp with the Denver Broncos on Friday, quarterback Tim Tebow displayed his linebacker's mentality.

"It may be a negative of mine, but I look forward to that," Tebow said of upcoming contact drills during the team's first full-squad workout. "It'll be fun when Sunday gets here and everybody is hitting out here. I'll get excited, too."

Tebow probably won't be doing much hitting and his teammates won't be hitting him -- NFL teams apply practice protections for their quarterbacks to guard against injury. Nonetheless, head coach Josh McDaniels appreciated Tebow's sentiments.

"That doesn't surprise me, that he would say that," McDaniels said. "That's part of his demeanor and also part of what he brings to your football team.

"That may be a little unique in terms of the contact part. Normally, quarterbacks add to a certain level of the toughness of your team because they get hit a lot. He's had an opportunity in college to do some of the other stuff where he's actually inflicting some of the hitting at the end of a run."




After taking part in his first practice since signing his contract the day before -- the sides reached a five-year, $11.25 million deal that could swell in value to $33 million with incentives -- Tebow joked about landing a promotional gig with a well-known underwear maker. He also expressed relief over the conclusion of contract negotiations and discussed the progress he's made in his much-scrutinized transition to pro-style passer after playing in a spread offense at Florida.

"I'm out here now and I don't have to worry about anything except playing football," Tebow said.

Since being drafted in the first round in April, Tebow, whose punishing scrambles are reminiscent of such quarterbacks as Steve Young and Randall Cunningham, has spent much of the time working on the mechanics and footwork that go with being a drop-back quarterback in a pro-style offense.

In the Gators' spread offense, Tebow typically operated out of the shotgun and he was adept with his legs as much as his passing arm, becoming the first player in NCAA history to pass and rush for at least 20 touchdowns when he won the Heisman Trophy in 2007 as a sophomore.

"I'm definitely focused on the playbook but I'm also focused on mechanics, my drop, and the footwork in a new offense,'' Tebow said. "The play-action fakes we've got, the different stuff that I'm not used to from college. I've improved a lot of things this last month. Just by being able to work on them has helped me mechanically."

As much as the Broncos are working with Tebow to refine his mechanics, McDaniels, without tipping his hand, indicated some of the improvisational elements Tebow displayed during his Florida career could come into play with Denver as well.

While Kyle Orton, who entered camp as the starter, and Brady Quinn remain ahead of Tebow on the depth chart, McDaniels said Tebow's versatility poses some intriguing possibilities, including his use in specialized situations.

"I haven't ever used more than one quarterback in the NFL," McDaniels said ."I don't think that's something that can't be done. Certainly, people have speculated about it.

"Since we haven't really done any of it in pads and had an opportunity to evaluate what they would do for our team, it's hard to say exactly how we would feel about that. But there's going to be some things that he can do that the other two can't."

Tebow is steering clear of the strategic decisions and focusing on refining his craft and remaining patient as he tackles an imposing playbook and new quarterbacking techniques.

"I've got to catch up on the installs that I missed, keep working," he said. "We'll get it done.''

The patience with himself as he learns is another matter.

"That's something I'm going to have to deal with and can get frustrated with, making mistakes," Tebow said. "But not making the same mistake twice, that's kind of my goal coming out here."

As for facing rising performance expectations, Tebow said he can handle them.

"I think I've somewhat had pressure on me the last few years. I don't really ever think about it because all I really worry about is what I can control -- my attitude, my effort, my focus," Tebow said. "Those are things I can control. I can't control anything else. So, I'm really not even going to think about it."