For those who wonder if Denver Broncos executive John Elway is completely sold on unorthodox quarterback Tim Tebow, rest easy.
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Elway gave his strongest indication yet that he believes Tebow can morph from a scrambling quarterback into a pocket passer during an interview with The Associated Press, while also saying the polarizing and immensely popular former first-round pick is in Denver to stay.
"Tim Tebow's not going anywhere," Elway said. "I mean, he's going to be a Bronco and we're going to do everything we can and hopefully he's that guy."
Elway knows a lot about being "that guy" after leading Denver to five Super Bowls and two titles during his playing career. He reiterated his intention to work with Tebow during the offseason, something he couldn't do last offseason because of the NFL lockout.
After starting the season with Kyle Orton under center, the Broncos have won seven of nine games since switching to Tebow, four of them via the kind of fourth-quarter comebacks that marked Elway's storied career.
Elway said one of his biggest challenges since the move to Tebow has been adjusting to the 24/7 news cycle fed by social media. Elway also again expressed remorse for a comment he made last month on his weekly radio show that was misconstrued as criticism of Tebow.
After Tebow had improved to 4-1 as the Broncos' starting quarterback, Elway was asked if he was "any closer to feeling if you have your quarterback on this team?" Elway paused and answered, "No." He then pointed out that Tebow had to do better on third downs and improve as a passer.
"I think that comment was probably a little bit too blunt," Elway told The AP on Tuesday. "Because I think the big picture with Tim is we've got to see the whole body of work. And so really what you want to see with him is the improvement that's going to happen over time.
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"NFL Replay" will re-air the
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"Because, he's done what we knew he could do and where we've seen his progress is what he does within the pocket. What we've said, and I said it when I first got here, was we know Tim's a great player and what we've got to do is make him a great quarterback, and what I've learned is you've got to be able to win from within the pocket."
Tebow has indeed begun showing improvement in the pocket over the last few weeks as he receives more playing time and offensive coordinator Mike McCoy adds more plays to his menu.
Tebow's famous work ethic will help him hone his craft, said Elway, who seems to be rooting for the quarterback as much as his legions of fans.
"We want it to happen because of the competitor he is and what type of person he is and how he represents not only himself but represents the Broncos and the city," Elway said. "People have been watching him, so he's a draw. But that's where some time in the offseason (helps) and it comes down to timing and throwing.
"Do I think he'll get there? Yeah, I do."
Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press
