NFL Magazine, a new monthly publication from the NFL, launches next Tuesday, December 13. When the league first announced the magazine it said Cam Newton, the Carolina Panthers’ first year quarterback, was going to be on the cover.

Well, guess what? Newton just got Tebowed. NFL Magazine’s debut issue will now feature Tim Tebow — the Denver Broncos’ rookie second year quarterback/jesus christ our savior and lord — on the cover, instead of Newton.

“Initially we had talked about not being controversial and just trying to keep everybody happy, and we talked about who would be a good role model to be on the cover, and listen, Cam Newton definitely fits the bill,” the magazine’s Publisher and Editor-in-Chief, Mike Dunphy, said. “We’re still going to feature Cam in the magazine, but we wanted to show the fans that we’re not going to shy away from the news.”

We don’t understand what’s controversial about putting Tebow on the cover, but hey, we also don’t quite grasp how the Broncos keep winning when Tebow throws a football like a drunk frat kid heaving a water balloon.

Of course none of that matters, what does is that this is a smart move by the magazine. Tebow is hot; he should be on the cover.

If you’re wrapped up in Tebow Mania too, NFL Magazine is offering yearly subscriptions for $19.90.

• Mediabistro: An interview with Brandon Holley of Lucky magazine. Hope she didn’t mind us poking fun at that Lucky Kids thing.
• TVNewser: Julianne Moore is going to play Sarah Palin in an upcoming HBO adaptation of the book Game Change. If Jeff Bridges plays Todd Palin count us in.
• SportsNewser: Mel Kiper compares Cam Newton to Akili Smith, thus ruining Newton’s day, but making Smith’s.