Last night, NFL Films released their list of the Top 10 Heisman Winners in the NFL. If you want to weep for the company founded by Ed Sabol in 1962, you need look no further than that list, which ranks the Heisman winners by their accomplishments in the NFL. Tim Tebow is #7. Earl Campbell is #8 and Marcus Allen is #9. Cam Newton is #10. USA Today has a list of players they could think of off the top of their head.

But really, Tebow ahead of Campbell and Allen, both Hall of Famers? Not only is it a slap in the face to that duo — one of the best bulldozing backs ever and a Super Bowl MVP, respectively — but also to unlisted players such as Tim Brown, Eddie George, Jim Plunkett, Doak Walker (another Hall of Famer) and Herschel Walker.

We could also easily argue slotting Alan Ameche, Mike Garrett, Bo Jackson, Carson Palmer, George Rogers, Billy Sims, Vinny Testaverde and Ricky Williams ahead of Tebow.

Some of the later arguments get a little flimsy depending on how you rank Tebow’s heroic accomplishments (he has had some admittedly impressive moments despite certain quarterbacking imitations), but putting Tebow on this list alongside MVPs and Super Bowl Champions because of a 10-yard pass and a 20-yard run seems, well, dumb.

Go ahead and watch this clip from Tebow’s portion of the program. It really is quite sad. NFL Films has been creating excellent football content for decades. Classic game footage edited together with goosebump-inspiring narration. You would think NFL Films was above stunt-ranking Tim Tebow ahead of NFL Hall of Famers just so people will watch their programming and discuss their lists. What can they do though? Ratings are important and YouTube has to be hurting the business of those who deal (legally) with NFL highlights. I can’t imagine many Denver Broncos 2011 Season VHS tapes have been sold this offseason. May as well give people something to talk about.

[USA Today, NFL.com]