Tim Tebow May Not Start Next Year, Elway Says

John Elway threw a curveball to Broncos on Wednesday morning, suggesting that the team may not start Tim Tebow at quarterback next season.

Tebow, the Broncos' 2010 first round pick, started the final 3 games last season after starter Kyle Orton injured his ribs. The rookie played well enough for interim head coach Eric Studesville that he was widely expected to be handed the starting job next season. The Denver Post reported in early January that the team was looking to trade Orton for a 2nd-round pick.

Speaking from the NFL Network's Total Access from the Super Bowl on Wednesday, newly-hired Broncos Executive John Elway surprised many when he said that the team still considered Orton the starter.

"If we had to play today, Kyle Orton would be our starting quarterback,' he said.

"People think it is a forgone conclusion that we are going to trade Kyle, but it's not. They are going to compete for the job. A lot of people think it is a forgone conclusion but it's not," Elway added.

The Broncos hired former Carolina Panthers head coach John Fox in January. Elway said the choice will ultimately be made by the coaching staff.