In late December the Broncos' general manager, John Elway, gave Tim Tebow the dreaded vote of confidence.

"Tim Tebow's not going anywhere," Elway told the Associated Press. "I mean, he's going to be a Bronco and we're going to do everything we can and hopefully he's that guy."

Hopefully he's that guy.

While I'm sure Elway wasn't lying I'm told by several league and team officials Elway continues to have significant concerns about whether or not Tebow can be a franchise quarterback despite Elway's public protestations to the contrary.

It's understandable. Elway would have to be a fool not to have second thoughts after the past three games by Tebow. He's committed seven turnovers in the past three games, all Broncos losses. The rest of the league has clearly adapted to him by shutting down Tebow's running lanes and Tebow has a difficult time throwing an accurate pass.

I'm told none of this has gone unnoticed by Elway and the doubts about Tebow are creeping in--if they ever left. It's not exactly a state secret that Elway has never been comfortable with the entire Tebow phenomenon.

Elway may deny this (he has to now) but it's accurate and presents a huge mess for the legendary quarterback who has done a good job of rebuilding the team.

Now he has to somehow deal with what is clearly a mess.

 

DENVER-- There were five minutes remaining in Denver's game against New England and Broncos fans, in large numbers, began to depart Sports Authority Field. It was a mad rush for the exits. They knew not even Tim Tebow could bring them back from this.

Normally, fans here don't leave when there is time on the clock because they know there is always a chance Tebow will do something, well, Tebow-ish. Not today. Not this time.

Tebow met his match. Actually, two of them. Bill Belichick, who created the perfect game plan to stop Tebow (a game plan teams should have used in the past) and Tom Brady, who put up enough points to put immense pressure on Tebow.

The combination proved too much for the Broncos to handle and for the first time in a long time Tebow seemed ordinary and he was definitely beaten.

Patriots 41 Broncos 23 Tebow miracles: 0.

OPENING HIT: Remember when Josh McDaniels was the laughing stock of football for drafting Tim Tebow in the first round? I was one of the people who called him a moron. Now it seems many of us were wrong, at least in the short term we were. Tebow has evolved into a star and McDaniels is now getting a second look from teams looking for a head coach.

Now, McDaniels isn't a hot candidate. He is, after all, the offensive coordinator on a team that has maybe the worst offense in modern freaking football history. But that Tebow thing...I can tell you teams compiling head coaching lists have him as a person of interest and it's all because of Tebow. What was once considered a farce of a pick has for obvious reasons put McDaniels in a different place, a better place.

It isn't shocking that yes, indeed, the Kansas City Chiefs will take a look at McDaniels because of the Scott Pioli-McDaniels, Patriots connections. But I don't think Pioli can justify it to the Chiefs fan base. Pioli's next hire has to be a good one or it will be Pioli next looking for a job.

Here's what I think will happen. Pioli will hire a mid-level coach, a coach Pioli can control, and then have that coach hire McDaniels as offensive assistant head coach. Or some such title. I guess what I'm saying is I think McDaniels will end up in Kansas City with a slightly elevated title.

McDaniels deserves credit for Tebow and he's getting it from league people who are normally cynical and loath to give credit. That pick might give him a new life somewhere.

The consensus in speaking with a handful of team personnel executives when it comes to one Tim Tebow is this: A trade could happen, but it's becoming increasingly likely the Broncos will keep or cut Tebow because the trade interest is dwindling rapidly.

The executives portray the Tebow situation as a complicated one. They believe that while the Broncos are not openly trying to trade Tebow, they say that when teams have recently inquired about him, the Broncos haven't been saying he's off the trading block, either.

Again, just to be clear, the Broncos aren't openly shopping Tebow but teams that have asked were told: Make us an offer we can't refuse.

The Broncos might deny this, but based on their recent actions, it seems they're realizing Tebow might not be a bona fide NFL thrower. Tebow was the third quarterback in Denver's last game. It might not stay that way, and there is a solid chance Tebow simply stays in Denver and learns and the franchise keeps him around.

But do you put a guy you like in that kind of embarrassing situation? Probably not.

The are two big problems for the Broncos and Tebow. First, there's the belief that the Broncos might even cut Tebow (I don't see that), so why would a team trade for him?

Second, some in football think Tebow might need to be switched to another position. One team executive says he believes Tebow would be a Pro Bowl fullback, a belief I've heard several times from others around the sport.

It's a complicated matter with no easy solution for the Broncos or Tebow. In a few weeks, or even less, we'll know his future for sure.