Tim Tebow To Make First NFL Start For Broncos Against Raiders

While it previously seemed like Tim Tebow could be tapped to make his first NFL start this weekend against the Raiders in relief, that had more to do with reading the tea leaves regarding Broncos quarterback Kyle Orton’s injury. Now, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Tebow making his first NFL start sounds like a foregone conclusion.

Denver plans to give rookie quarterback Tim Tebow his first NFL start Sunday at Oakland in the Black Hole.This move will, at long last, give Broncos fans a chance to see if Tebow has a future as an NFL quarterback. Tebow, a Heisman Trophy winner and two-time national champion at Florida, was chosen with the 25th pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, and immediately became one of the most-discussed NFL Draft picks in quite some time. Then-coach Josh McDaniels faced criticism for taking a player regarded as a raw prospect, and many Broncos fans wondered about the wisdom of selecting Tebow after trading for Brady Quinn.

To make matters worse, Tebow has only been used sparingly this season — he has four touchdowns, three rushing and one passing, but has just 28 rushing yards on 12 carries and only one pass, a three-yard touchdown to Spencer Larsen against the Chiefs — as the Broncos have sputtered to a 3-10 record, and McDaniels has been fired.

These are not the ideal circumstances for a rookie quarterback to be making a first NFL start. But come Sunday, it seems that Tim Tebow will be doing exactly that for the Broncos.