"For all his nonchalance and gritty character, Kyle Orton is human.

And the human condition can take only so much.

As time went on, it appeared the "Tebow thing" started suffocating Orton's ability to play quarterback.

"I'm a P.E. major so I really don't know about all that," Broncos coach John Fox said. "You'd have to ask Kyle."

Orton was asked. The Broncos had just lost an AFC West Division game to San Diego 29-24, and Orton had just stood before the cameras, microphones, recorders and rapid-fire questions about his day that ended with a second-half demotion.

After completing only 6-of-13 passes for 34 yards and an interception, Orton was replaced as the Broncos' starting quarterback by the people's choice, Tim Tebow."