Fox says Orton is starter over Tebow “right now”

Denver Broncos head coach John Fox, taking part in the 2011 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, IN, told reporters Thursday that veteran Kyle Orton – not Tim Tebow – would be his team’s starting quarterback if the season started today.

“As far as I’m concerned, [Orton]’s under contract and he’s the starting quarterback for the Denver Broncos,” Fox said Thursday. “Right now, Kyle Orton is our starter.”

Fox also said a final decision on his starting QB wouldn’t be made “until later” and that he is “interested to see how [Tebow] looks,” indicating he will have a chance to win the job. He added that a trade is not in the future for either of the two players.

“We’ve got a very young guy, high draft pick in Tim Tebow, who got his feet wet last year towards the end of the season. You know — did an outstanding job,” Fox said. “He’s got some of those intangibles that you’re looking for.”

Orton, who went 3-10 as a starter in 2010 but passed for 3,653 yards, 20 touchdowns and nine interceptions in 13 games, is set to earn $7.4 million next season. It is the final year of his contract with Denver.

Tebow went 1-2 to end the season, throwing for 651 yards, four touchdowns and three interceptions in his three starts. He also rushed for 199 yards and three scores.

With plenty of time to go before the season gets underway (if it does at all), Tebow will have every opportunity to unseat Orton as the Broncos’ starter.

That being said, Fox’s comments will add fuel to a report from earlier this week that Tebow is “a man without much support in Denver.”

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