Why I wish Tim Tebow was a pro wrestler

WWE needs more main event wrestlers. That is a fact that has become painfully obvious with each passing day. Ideally it would be able to promote from within, bringing people up from developmental and guiding them along to become top level superstars, from the mid-card all the way to the top of the heap.

However, that takes a lot of time. And time is not something Vince McMahon and company can spare. With the biggest Wrestlemania ever approaching, an entire network being launched, and ratings and pay-per-view (PPV) buyrates slipping, WWE needs a major boost to its profile. Having The Rock and Chris Jericho return certainly helps, but now is the time to think outside the box. And lucky for Vince, I have the perfect guy in mind.

Tim freaking Tebow.

While certainly not the most orthodox choice, I do believe Tebow can be a great asset to the WWE. Here's why:

He already has a gimmick

In a post Attitude Era world where an over-the-top character is frowned upon and there are more people on the roster with their real names (or at least real sounding) than not, the landscape is starved for a great gimmick. Tebow could deliver in spades. He is an uber-Christian, making sure to thank Jesus in every promo and after every match. His only passions are God and victory. He can go back to writing verses on his eye black. Tebow can take CM Punk's straight edge savior to a whole 'nother level. He would be the perfect baby face in a world where heels are loved and adored. We make his finisher an elbow from the top rope, call it "The Flying Te-bow," have his intro music be Awesome God and we got ourselves a character.

The guy is insanely over

A national champion, Heisman winner, and all around good guy, there are tons of people who are just drawn to him. Even before he took a single snap in the NFL for the Denver Broncos, the fans wanted him to lead the team. There were calls into sports radio stations and chants at practice. The fans knew what they wanted and were going to make it clear. It all came to a head when fans actually went out and bought a billboard to tell the team to start Tebow at quarterback over Kyle Orton. You can shout "We want Ryder" all you want folks, but I don't see any wrestling fans buying a billboard to tell Vince, "Stop Burying Daniel Bryan."

He is legitimately polarizing

Tim Tebow is what John Cena wants to be seen as. Don't think for a second that the coverage the Broncos QB has seen hasn't influenced Vince's ideas for Cena. "Some people love me, some people hate me," could be an exact quote from both men. The problem is that Tebow is much closer to a 50/50 split. The pro-Cena side has slipped below half and is shrinking rapidly. On top of that children are barely people, so their opinions shouldn't count. Adult fans are pretty much unified against Cena. That would not be the case with Tebow. There could be honest debates on whether to cheer or boo him. He would change the traditional face vs. heel mentality in a way not seen in a long time.

He moves merchandise

He set an NFL record for draft day jersey sales and continues to be near the top of the list almost an entire year later. And that is for clothing that can go as high as $100. Imagine how much people would buy if he was selling $30 shirts and $10 accessories. They would fly off the shelves like hotcakes. The more merch that is out there, the more the WWE logo is being worn in public, and the bigger the movement becomes. You want to know the biggest reason John Cena isn't a heel right now? Because his merchandise sells too well. It's a big deal in pro wrestling, folks.

He's a mainstream attraction

ESPN goes crazy over Tebow. They even dedicated an entire SportsCenter, I mean "TebowCenter" to the guy. And it's not just the World Wide Leader. CBS and NBC turned into teenage girls fighting for the rights to the Broncos vs. Patriots game a few weeks ago. There is not a sports outlet in America that would not flock to any WWE event Tebow was in. The more mainstream exposure the company receives, the more people can be found who might stick around to enjoy the product.

He's a freak athlete

The biggest outcry against Tebow being a pro wrestler is that he is not actually, you know, a wrestler. While that is a fair point, he has a number of things going for him. The hits he takes on the gridiron prove he is tough enough and willing to take his share of bumps and keep getting back up. Tebow is not the tallest guy (he is listed at 6'3", an inch taller than CM Punk), but the guy looks like he is cut from stone. The time he spends in the weight room would definitely impress Vince and all his bodybuilding buddies, like Triple H. His intensity on the field could easily carry over to the ring. On top of all of that, Tebow has shown his determination to work on his craft. While that has not really worked out with his quarterbacking skills, if given the chance he would train his ass off to be the best damn wrestler possible.

Tim Tebow would be a great addition to the WWE roster. Obviously, this is something that would likely never happen. He would almost certainly never risk his standing with the Broncos, nor would the team ever let him into the ring.

But if he bounces out of the playoffs this year, it's entirely possible he's not even on the Denver roster next season. At least, that's the word going around NFL circles.

Either way, I can dream of Tebow in the ring mixing it up with Punk for the WWE Championship, flashing his million dollar smile as he holds the strap high above his head.

Well, if they can convince Punk to put him over.