Why let facts get in the way of good speculation?
Anyways, I found this article; he has two interesting incentives in his contract.
Details show Tim Tebow's contract worth $9.7 million - The Denver Post
The first incentive was a LTBE that he must have hit last year:
Tebow collects $1.537.5 million if he plays 35 percent of the offensive snaps in 2010, or 45 percent of the snaps in any of the seasons 2011-14. The bonus rolls over from year to year until Tebow reaches the playing-time threshold, and expires the first time he hits it.
The second was a NLTBE incentive:
Value of Tebow's contract doubles from $11.25 million (including one-time playing time bonus) to $22.5 million if he reaches multiple thresholds, including:
- 55 percent playing time in two of his first three seasons, 2010-12, or 70 percent playing time in 2013.
- The Broncos make the playoffs, he reaches certain QB ranking thresholds, and receives unspecified honors.
Now there are two things that I am unsure of. On that NLTBE part does Tebow have to achieve both parts (playing time plus playoffs), or just one (the playoffs)? If it was just one I would assume Denver is on the hook for doubling his salary in 2010 and 2011, and a new team would be responsible for hi new (higher) salaries going forward. Similarly, if the incentive is that he has to hit both numbers then it would give Denver more reason to consider moving him this off season even before the Manning signing; he would have most likely have fulfilled the 55% playing time requirement this year otherwise - and they would be on the books for a whole lot more money.
The total value of Tebow's contract can escalate to $33 million if the Broncos reach the playoffs multiple times in his first four years, he has multiple top 5 QB rankings, and he has multiple league honors such as NFL MVP and Super Bowl MVP.
So if Tebow comes to New England and rides the bench while the Pats make the playoffs again and again his contract continues to escalate?
As I said before I think this is a media-fueled rumor based on misinformation about the Pats alleged interest in Tebow two years ago. With the drafting of Mallett the Pats have less reason to add him. Add in the contract details and there's even less of a reason to give up anything for him, much less add him to the roster.
- 2010: $1.295 million (fully guaranteed)
- 2011: $1.618.75 million (fully guaranteed)
- 2012: $1.942.5 million (fully guaranteed)
- 2013: $2.266.75 million (fully guaranteed)
- 2014: $2.590.5 million ($567,500 guaranteed)