But the more interesting factor, the reason Tebow is more than just a passing fad based on new player formation, is his personality. Tebow is a serious young man in a silly adult world. He is an irony-free individual who seems uninterested in developing an athletic persona based upon rehearsed machismo or wink-wink self awareness. He’s content to be himself and to give answers that are more straightforward than his downfield passes.

To quote Grantland’s Jay Caspian Kang, Tebow “eyes up the zeitgeist, smiles, and says a prayer for its soul.” To put that quote into perspective, Aaron Rodgers recognizes that same zeitgeist, accepts its logic, and then tries to figure out which camera he should wink at…

This is what makes Tebow so appealing. He’s unafraid to be vulnerable and serious in a world so full of jokes that it’s often hard to discern the punch line from the set-up. And his serious approach to football makes it easier for fans to listen when he talks about the other things he cares about, such as being a good role model or building hospitals in the Philippines.