Is Tebow the biggest star in the NFL?

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

I hate Tim Tebow.

I don't like Tiger Woods.  But if you asked me to name the biggest star in golf...my response would be Tiger. 

[bsmooth]

Good for him. He takes a lot of grief for things both in and out of his control, so that's cool. I tend to agree with Phishfan for exactly why he stated. Bree's (NyQuil for example) and Rodgers (the double-check) commercials give them greater exposure to non-sports fans. I think in terms of "biggest star" those kinds of endorsements go a long way. I also think it's hard to name someone as the biggest star when he is inexplicably disliked by so many people. -EK

You are confusing actual hatred towards a person as opposed to hatred on an ungodly amount of hype being directed towards someone undeserving.
It is this same hyper, both good and bad, which is driving the current Tebowmania that is sweeping this country. He is the Kim Kardashian of NFL QB's in that is known more for what he does outside of his current job performance than his actual job performance.

[Thundergod]

Biggest star, dunno about that. Well known, sure.

[MaineDolFan]

Easily.

The Denver / Pittsburgh's ratings?  The highest of any TV program since last year's Super Bowl.  Bigger than Survivor, American Idol's finale...anything.

For a 4pm Sunday afternoon football game.  Over 42.4 million people watched it.  This Saturday night's Pats / Denver game will crush those numbers. 

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/01/11/steelers-broncos-was-most-watched-tv-show-since-the-super-bowl/

They weren't watching it because of the terrible towels.  Sorry folks but right now Tebow has brought a lot of people into the fold who normally would not be watching this game. 

The Saints / Lions game (a much better FOOTBALL GAME), for perspective, has 31.8 million viewers.  12+ million less.  A game featuring Brees, the Saints, MegaTron...and it couldn't come close.

People who don't normally watch are flocking to this guy.  It's true.  Does anything think the Broncos / Steelers game pulls 44 million if Brady Quinn were starting?

Saints reference:  http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2012/01/08/tv-ratings-saturday-saintlions-wild-card-game-dominates-ratings-of-course/115720/

He is, easily, the largest star in the game.  Do not confuse that term with the best player.

[JVides]

If we define star as "most easily recognizable by the masses" then he may very well be at this time.  If we define star as something to do with talent or accolades on the field, he doesn't sniff the elite group.

Pop culture-wise?  Tebow's the biggest NFL star.  Hell, the Broncos' win against the Steelers was on EW.com's front page Monday.

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

If we define star as "most easily recognizable by the masses" then he may very well be at this time.  If we define star as something to do with talent or accolades on the field, he doesn't sniff the elite group.

Pop culture-wise?  Tebow's the biggest NFL star.  Hell, the Broncos' win against the Steelers was on EW.com's front page Monday.

I am pretty sure the intended question was NOT is Tebow the most talented player in the NFL.  So go with former and not latter of you two definitions of star. 

[fyo]

For a 4pm Sunday afternoon football game.  Over 42.4 million people watched it.

[...]

The Saints / Lions game (a much better FOOTBALL GAME), for perspective, has 31.8 million viewers.  12+ million less.

While Tebow may be a huge draw, your argument is flawed.

The numbers you provide are not viewers who sat down to watch the game (i.e. Tebow) or even averages over the whole game. The 42.4 million were viewers at the end of a game that went to OT. Hardly surprising that a lot of people would tune in at the end.

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

^^^ So your therory is most of those 42 million were folks waiting for 60 mins to start?

Or that they are folks who said, hey lets switch over from watching the Lifetime station to see if the football game that we haven't been watching went into overtime? 

[masterfins]

No.....I would easily rate Rodgers, Brees, (and hold on while I try to keep from vomiting) Brady well ahead of him. There are probably more as well but these three popped into mu head first when I think about the NFL.

+1

[Pappy13]

My mom told me that they discussed Tebow on "the View."  If you are not familiar with the show it is a chick day time talk show.  It may have been the first football discusion for that show. 

Was it even a football discussion though? They probably talked about his religious views, I don't really see them talking about whether Denver should start him or use Quinn and just run him in certain packages.

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

Was it even a football discussion though?

Probably not.

In considering who is a bigger star...Brady vs. Tebow.

Assume it was announced today that Brady would not be playing...what impact would it have on TV ratings?

Assume it was announced today that Tebow would not be playing...what impact would it have on TV ratings?

[fyo]

Or that they are folks who said, hey lets switch over from watching the Lifetime station to see if the football game that we haven't been watching went into overtime? 

You don't think viewership is way up in games that go to overtime?

Anyway, the article I read originally appears to have incorrectly converted the ratings into viewers and, as far as I can tell, the 42.4 million is indeed the average.

That said, let's look at the numbers in context:

- NFL ratings have been UP this season compared to last season.
- The highest rated Wild Card game last season was Packers - Eagles @ 39.2 million

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

You don't think viewership is way up in games that go to overtime?

Regular season, significantly.  Because as the games people were watching end, the networks switch.  Also if you have both a CBS and Fox game and one is a blow out and one is tied more people watch the close game. 

[EKnight]

FYO- that's actually NOT looking at the game "in context." Looking at it in context would be up against THIS year's wildcard games.
Saints-Lions drew 27.8 million viewers
Giants-Falcons drew 27.7 million viewers
I couldn't find numbers on the Bengals-Texans, but just using THESE numbers, the Denevr-Pittsburgh game drew 14.6 million more people. Further, comparing it against the Packers-Eagles game is fine, but you should also add that THAT wildcard game was the single most-watched Wildcard game ever on any network, according to Nielsen Media Research before this year.  Thus, Broncos-Steelers not only beat LAST year's highest rated game, but the highest rated game of all time. -EK

[fyo]

EK, just a couple things:

Football ratings have been setting records every year for a while now. It only makes sense that Wild Card games would see an increase as well.

The late Sunday game always gets the most viewers. The Packers game last year was in that slot as well.

In fact, go back another year and you'll find another record-setting game in that slot (Cars - Pack). (link).

The Packers game last year wasn't a blowout, but neither was it anywhere as close as this one. That means fewer viewers switch to something else and more viewers join in.

Did Tebow contribute? I'm sure he did, but there's just little evidence to indicate that the effect was massive.