Denver Broncos one-year wonder no. 2: Tim Tebow, QB (2011)
In terms of the overall team success, there’s not a better “one-year wonder” in Denver Broncos history than the Tim Tebow-led 2011 season.
At least, there’s not a better script for Hollywood.
The Broncos were looking like a complete dud at the beginning of the 2011 season. Coming off of a year in which they had just fired Josh McDaniels and picked second overall in the 2011 NFL Draft, things needed to change in Denver in 2011 and the only spark the team had offensively was a mostly unknown Tim Tebow.
Tebow had shown some late-game heroics in his rookie season in 2010, but he wasn’t named the starter for John Fox’s team in 2011 and rode the bench the first five games of the season.
When he finally got inserted into the lineup, the Denver Broncos started winning a lot of games in miraculous fashion.
The fourth quarter of games started to become known as “Tebow Time” and despite the best efforts of the teams the Broncos played, no one could really stop Tebow Time.
Tim Tebow key stats as Broncos starter in 2011 (including playoffs)
- 14 passing touchdowns
- 2,181 passing yards
- 723 rushing yards
- 7 rushing touchdowns
Was Tim Tebow a perfect passer? Absolutely not. In fact, he has one of the worst completion rates in league history.
Still, there was something about that 2011 season with Tebow as the quarterback that helped everything come together for a number of the greatest moments in franchise history.
The defense did its part. Kicker Matt Prater was clutch. The running game was outstanding and led by veteran Willis McGahee.
Broncos receivers came up clutch throughout the season.
It was a team effort, no doubt, but Tebow was the catalyst for it all, if only for a year.