Is Tim Tebow the Justin Bieber of the NFL? Fan's View

Was Joey Porter wrong for calling Tim Tebow the "Justin Bieber of the NFL"?

The former Arizona Cardinals, Miami Dolphins and Pittsburgh Steelers' standout linebacker made national headlines in March on the NFL Total Access Show for his questionable comments about Tebow, as he essentially hinted that the new New York Jets quarterback was brought in just to sell tickets.

Porter's eye-popping commentary was a blatant knock against Tebow, and the 24-year-old didn't deserve to get ripped like that.

"Anybody who brings him in right now, you would think they're trying to do it for ticket sales," Porter, a 13-year NFL veteran, said on NFL Network's NFL Total Access show. "So it's just like, it's good to have a Justin Bieber because you're gonna get a whole lot of (fans). That's what I compare it to. He's the Justin Bieber of the NFL."

Upon deeper analysis of Porter's commentary, it's clear that he wasn't accurate in his assessment.

He was trying to say that Tebow is just a gimmick who can help a team gain fans, sell tickets and not be an asset on the football field.

While it's true that Tebow is helping the New York Jets move PSLs, player jerseys and tickets, he has proven that he's a legitimate football player who has the ability to win games.

Tebow may struggle at times with his passing accuracy, but it's hard to overlook that he tallied six game-winning drives in 2011 and notched a winning overall record in his 14 starts since 2010.

Additionally, Porter's comments were a bit of an insult to Justin Bieber, who is also a far cry from a g! immicky ticket-seller.

Bieber has been in the national spotlight for four years, racking up two Grammy nominations, close to a dozen MTV awards, and hundreds of other notable accolades.

The hunky 18-year-old Canadian singer has legitimate talent, as he sold over 15 million albums and ranks as the No. 3 most powerful celebrity in the world, according to Forbes.com.

Bieber is a ticket-selling machine, but that's due to his beautiful voice and legion of 20 million Twitter followers who adore him.

I believe Porter was just trying to make a name for himself as a broadcaster by stirring up some controversy.

Is Tim Tebow the Justin Bieber of the NFL? Let me know in the comments.

Eric Holden is a lifelong New York Jets fan. Follow him on Twitter @ericholden.