Mike Ditka would take a chance on Tebow

Mike Ditka once traded an entire draft for Ricky Williams when he was coaching the New Orleans Saints. So it doesn't seem far fetched that Ditka would have Tim Tebow on his roster if he was still coaching today.

Ditka thinks there is a place for Tebow at quarterback or another position. Tebow has scoffed at switching to tight end or H-back, preferring to try to make it as a quarterback.


From the Sun-Times' "4 Downs with Ditka" column on Sundays: 

“I think [Tebow] can play quarterback in the NFL, but whatever offense you run might have to be tweaked a bit. This kid is a talent and he proved it in college. He is an outstanding leader. Now, does he have an unusual throwing motion? Yes. But there a lot of quarterbacks that didn’t have a perfect throwing motion. Some of them turned out to be great quarterbacks because they were great leaders. I really do think there’s a place for him. If not at quarterback, I think he could play tight end. If I was in the league and coaching today, I would take a chance on him at quarterback.”

That's why Ditka is a studio analyst today. If you recall, when he coached the Bears he had a hard time settling on a quarterback. That's part of the reason the Bears only have one Super Bowl to their credit despite being one of the dominant teams of the 80's.

Ditka comes from the old school where wins, leadership and heart were valued more than yardage, 40 times, and arm strength.  A lot of those old school guys didn't pan out either but you wouldn't mind going to battle with them. That's why he said he'd give Tebow a shot.

But before all the Tebow fans paint him as a winner, a Mark Sanchez led New York Jets team beat the  New England Patriots in a road playoff game and nobody calls him a winner.