Former Heisman Trophy winner, Denver Broncos, New York Jets, and New England Patriots QB Tim Tebow is headed back to the NFL.
Per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero, Tebow is signing a one-year deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars. The 33-year-old will be reunited with his college head coach Urban Meyer, who is now the man on the sidelines for the Jaguars.
Tebow is set to play tight end if he makes the Jaguars’ roster. If Tebow’s latest athletic exploit is successful, what are the chances Meyer draws up some trick plays where Tebow gets an opportunity to throw the pill?
Tebow’s Patriots Tenure
Tebow was briefly a member of the Patriots back in 2013. During the preseason that year, Tebow struggled to show the passing accuracy necessary to make the Week 1 roster, and he was released.
Tebow’s brief stay with the team was what you might describe as a high-profile-low-impact signing.
Andrew Joseph of FTW outlined Tebow’s short and mostly non-descript stint with the Patriots.
When Tim Tebow signed a two-year deal with the Patriots in 2013, he saw it as the opportunity to save his faltering professional football career. He went to training camp with the mindset of learning under Bill Belichick and Tom Brady before eventually taking over for Brady when the Hall of Famer retired. It obviously didn’t work out that way, as Tebow was cut when the Patriots trimmed their roster down to 53 players that August. He completed just 36.7 percent of his passes and was largely disappointing in that preseason.
Shortly after he was released by the Patriots, Tebow signed a one-year deal with the Philadelphia Eagles. He completed 21 of 36 pass attempts for 286 yards, two TDs, and an interception in four preseason games.
However, Tebow didn’t make the Eagles’ roster and was cut. In 2016, he announced his intentions to pursue a baseball career.
Tebow’s Baseball Career
Tebow signed with the New York Mets organization but never reached the major leagues. His struggles to hit were the most prominent reasons he didn’t reach the highest level of baseball.
During his baseball career, Tebow compiled a slash line of 223/.299/.338. He scored 107 runs, connected on 18 home runs, and drove in 107 across 287 games. Even with the modest production at the plate, Tebow’s presence, effort, and accomplishment on the diamond has drawn praise.
“It has been a pleasure to have Tim in our organization as he’s been a consummate professional during his four years with the Mets,” Mets president Sandy Alderson said in a statement released by the Mets. “By reaching the Triple-A level in 2019, he far exceeded expectations when he first entered the system in 2016 and he should be very proud of his accomplishments.”
Tebow has had one of the most remarkable athletic journeys in history. He’s won a Heisman Trophy, the Davey O’Brien award, two National Championships in college, played in the NFL, won an NFL Playoff game while with the Broncos, and competed in AA and AAA for a Major League Baseball organization.
He’s now headed back to the NFL for a position change, and perhaps more accomplishments are on the way. Few athletes have a resume that compares to Tebow.
Also Read:
- Former Pro-Bowl LB ‘Could Pique’ Patriots Interest
- ESPN Analyst: ‘He’s The Cam Newton of the NBA’
- Patriots Sign Versatile LB From AFC East Rival
- Bill Belichick Didn’t Get the DT He Wanted in the NFL Draft
- Patriots Rookie RB Draws Comparison to Franchise Favorite