Getty Former New York Jets quarterback Tim Tebow jogging onto the football field.
Tim Tebow is back in the NFL after a nine-year absence.
The news was first reported by NFL Network on Monday afternoon. Tebow, a former first-round draft choice, will eventually sign a one-year deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars. When that addition is official he’ll be reunited with his former college head coach Urban Meyer.
From NFL Now: Tim Tebow is expected to sign with the #Jaguars. He’s back, with a chance to make the team and help their locker room.
He was originally taken with the No. 25 overall pick by the Denver Broncos in the 2010 NFL draft. After some middling success that was highlighted by beating the Pittsburgh Steelers in an overtime playoff game, he was traded to the New York Jets.
The Jets gave up a fourth and sixth-round draft choice in exchange for Tebow and a seventh-rounder. He only lasted one season with Gang Green and it was a complete circus.
The former Heisman Trophy winner made the front pages for running shirtless in the rain during Jets training camp. Which was the highlight of Tebow’s time with the team. His presence also caused a massive quarterback controversy with Mark Sanchez that divided the locker room.
During his time with the green and white Tebow was a do it all man serving as the primary wildcat quarterback, played on special teams, and served as the punt protector. After being released by the Jets following the 2012 season, he got a few preseason opportunities with the New England Patriots and the Philadelphia Eagles but never made their final rosters.
To survive in the NFL moving forward he was forced to make a decision: make a position change to tight end or move on. Tebow chose the latter and pursued a variety of other interests including believe it or not minor league baseball.
He signed a minor-league deal to join the New York Mets. Tebow worked his way through the system and most recently was on the doorstep of the majors playing for the team’s triple-A affiliate the Syracuse Mets during the 2019 season. Ultimately he decided to walk away from the game of baseball entirely earlier this year in the midst of the COVID pandemic.
A lot of people questioned whether he belonged in baseball, but he showed some real chutzpah during his time in Single-A and Double-A. Tebow “was an All-Star in 2018 at the Double-A level, when he batted .273 with six homers in 84 games,” per ESPN.
Tebow Has a Change of Heart
Tebow will once again try to accomplish the impossible with his return to the NFL.
He initially refused to change positions due to his desire to be a professional quarterback and left the sport entirely in 2015. Fast forward six years later from Tebow’s last preseason appearance and nine years later from his last regular-season appearance, he’s attempting to make history.
A few weeks ago the former Florida Gators star worked out for the Jaguars as a tight end. A position he has never played and apparently impressed enough to warrant a one-year deal.
For Tebow to make an NFL roster after so many years away is unlikely. When you consider he’s trying, at the age of 33 (will be 34 by the start of the 2021 NFL season), to learn a new position on the fly it’s nearly impossible to imagine. Although crazier things have happened.
New York Jets Will Be Reunited With Tim Tebow in 2021
On Wednesday evening the NFL will release the 2021 schedule which will feature 17 regular-season games for the first time in history.
One of those games will feature the Jets and the Jaguars. New York is scheduled to host that AFC conference matchup.
If Tebow makes the final roster that’ll add another juicy storyline to an already intriguing game. This contest will also pit the No. 1 (Trevor Lawrence) and No. 2 (Zach Wilson) overall picks from the 2021 NFL draft against one another for the first time in their respective careers.