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Tim Tebow #5 of the New England Patriots practices during minicamp at Gillette Stadium on June 11, 2013 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Jared Wickerham/Getty Images North America)

The coach barely entertained reporters' questions.

The owner quietly walked off the field after practice, declining to make any grand statements to the media.

And Tim Tebow, the newest member of the New England Patriots, fielded no questions, offering a 36-second statement that ended with his standard, "God Bless" as he walked away.

A little more than a year ago, the New York Jets did everything but hold a parade following their trade for Tebow. There was a press conference in the Jets' facility, and soon enough owner Woody Johnson was proclaiming one can "never have too much Tebow." Turns out Johnson was wrong -- really wrong -- and it's clear Bill Belichick intends to show everyone the right way to handle the Tebow sideshow.

By stomping it out along with his players.

"You just worry about playing football. Each player's caught up on striving to their personal goals and trying to get where they want to be as an athlete," said tight end Aaron Hernandez, Tebow's teammate in college at Florida. "A lot of that other stuff you don't really notice or pay attention to, but from the outside looking in, it looks like a big mess."

Hernandez added: "The media's going to be around, and if you let the media become a distraction, that's your fault. Obviously, in this program we don't let that happen. We just play football and take care of ourselves."

Therein lies the real story line in Tebow's signing a two-year deal with the Patriots on Tuesday.

It's not so much about whether Belichick signed the 2010 first-round pick and Heisman Trophy winner to spite the Jets or reporters who wrote that he didn't like Tebow as a player. It's not even about whether Tebow will be a quarterback, a utility player or both. It's about this being Tebow's best (and maybe last) chance to have the noise that follows him blocked out by Belichick and this franchise's ability to often handle potential distractions and win in spite of them.

Tebow's presence might very well be the biggest challenge to Belichick's no-distraction mandate since Spygate. Through one day, at least, everyone complied -- including Tebow.

"First and foremost, I just want to thank the Patriots for giving me an opportunity. I'm very thankful," said Tebow, who has been assigned No. 5 since third-year backup quarterback Ryan Mallett wears Tebow's familiar No. 15. "It's such an honor to be a Patriot and play for Coach Belichick and for Coach (Josh) McDaniels, to learn under Tom (Brady) and be a part of this great franchise, a part of a very successful franchise. I found that out first-hand. I lost to them several times.

"It's going to be a lot of fun. I'm looking forward to working hard every single day, getting a lot better and learning under some great people."

With that, along with a promise that "I'm sure we're going to be talking a lot more soon," Tebow was gone.