Chip Kelly On Tebow: ‘Tim Is A Quarterback, Not A Gadget Guy’

The Tim Tebow comeback saga is nearing its end…one way or another.

With cuts looming following Week 3 and 4 of the NFL Preseason, the answer to whether or not Tim Tebow will be on an NFL roster or return to the college football analyst chair will soon be answered. And for those that speculate that Tebow will make the roster simply because of the changes made to the 2-point conversion rule, coach Chip Kelly had this to say on the matter, according to ESPN.

“Tim is not a gadget guy,” Kelly said. “I think Tim is a quarterback, and I think he’s proven that so far when he’s been out here.”

And what may seem like a compliment from Coach Kelly could actually mean the opposite when it comes to Tebow making the Eagles roster.

It’s been well-documented that Tim Tebow has always fit outside the traditional quarterback box. His awkward throwing style and penchant for running rather than passing has made his transition into the NFL a difficult one. A great example of that decision making was on full display during last week’s Eagles-Ravens preseason game, as reported by Inquisitr, where Tim chose to barrel through his opponents at the goal line rather than pass to a wide open receiver in coverage.

In fact, CBS Sports is reporting that even Tim’s infamous playoff win against the Steelers may have turned out different had the Broncos gone ahead with their original game plan going in.

“I was going to be going in on every third down in that game,” Tim’s backup at the time Brady Quinn said on the CBS Sports Eye on Football podcast. “People don’t know this, but because we we’re throwing the ball so poorly on third down, we basically worked in packages where Tim and I were together in the backfield. He was playing wide receiver. I was coming in to purely just throw drop back passes on third down.”

And therein lies the cold, hard fact that Kelly will have to mull when cut day arrives, no matter how much Tebow has improved in five years. Does he need a special player that can cross the goal line in some special situations or does he want a quarterback who’s sub par when compared to his peers. Whatever the decision, Chip knows will it not be easy.

“It is going to be difficult,” Kelly said, as reported by NJ.com. “It’s difficult to get to 75, I think from a coaching standpoint that’s a good thing, but there is still a human factor that gets involved with cutting somebody, and that part is not a lot of fun.”

And by calling Tim Tebow a quarterback, he may have already signaled his end with the Philadelphia Eagles.

[Tim Tebow photo credit: Mitchell Leff / Getty Images]