Fan Reaction: Brady Quinn Insults Tim Tebow, Broncos, and Their Fans

At this point every football fan - and most Christians - are aware of the impact Tim Tebow had on both the game and pop culture during the 2011 NFL season. He went from third-string quarterback to starter to the most controversial football player in the game today. No matter if he was running for touchdowns, passing for them, or praying during a game it seemed as though every commentator had an opinion on Tebow.

When the torch was passed from starter Kyle Orton to Tim Tebow there was at least one person who was extremely put off. Second-string QB Brady Quinn felt, understandably, slighted by the decision. In all fairness to Quinn, there are few people who wouldn't be upset if they were denied a promotion for a less qualified coworker. How Quinn dealt with that denial, however, was not a good idea.

When asked for comments about Tebow by GQ Magazine recently, Quinn did the worst thing possible when he unloaded about the controversial quarterback. Of course he was not the first to have negative things to say about Tebow, but the fact that they're teammates makes this story a whole lot more interesting.

Now, without being present at the interview we can't know the entire context these comments were in. Even that generous statement, though, does not excuse the things Quinn had to say. At some point he moved from commenting on an NFL issue to sounding like a sore loser complaining about his teammate. In the midst of running down Tebow, Quinn also managed to make a few derogatory remarks to the fans as well.

When asked about his feelings towards being passed in favor of Tebow, Brady had this to say: " I felt like the fans had a lot to do with that. Just 'cause they were chanting his name. There was a big calling for him. No, I didn't have any billboards. That would have been nice."¹ To make this a little clearer, Quinn is complaining the fans didn't chant his name or take out billboards calling for him to start games. Understandable? Perhaps. Ill-advised? Definitely. Complaining about the people who pay your salary is never a good idea.

Stopping there would have been a good idea, albeit one Quinn ignored. When asked about the number of games the Broncos were able to win with Tebow at the helm, Quinn chalked it up to, "luck, to put it simply."¹ Now, he has managed to insult his teammate's resiliency. If bad-mouthing the fans was a bad idea, doing the same thing to your teammates is exponentially worse. It all boils down to one irrefutable fact. If the rest of the Denver Broncos played hard enough with Tebow under center to not only turn their season around but to win a playoff game, it doesn't matter if they were lucky or not.

To cap it off, Quinn also questions Tebow's well-known affinity for on-field prayer. Quinn explained that when he gets the chance to lead the team, he will do so by praying with them instead of trying to get in front of the camera to be seen praying. With that, he managed to anger the countless Christians who view Tebow as being successful because of his faith.

One interview. One ill-advised interview meant to capitalize on the controversy surrounding the Tim Tebow circus. Brady Quinn did exactly what the editors at GQ surely hoped he would do. He gave them juicy quotes to sell magazines.

One interview. One interview in which an NFL quarterback with little experience managed to insult the starter on his team, the never-give-up attitude of the rest of the Broncos, and millions of Christians who whole-heartedly approve of Tim Tebow's religious beliefs. This is not a good way to endear yourself to the local fans.

At this point, there is only one question for which an answer remains. It's one that Brady Quinn will surely have lots to say about, even though he won't have any input on the outcome.

When training camps start in five short months, who will Brady Quinn be playing for?

Eric Adelson, GQ: Brady Quinn Debunk Year Of The Tebow: 'We've Had A Lot Of…Luck', thepostgame.com

Allen Orien Avery is a lifelong sports fan. He is also a Featured Contributor to Yahoo! Voices.

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