Tim Tebow is back! QB-turned-minor league baseball player signs one-year deal with Jaguars

Tim Tebow’s NFL comeback is officially underway as the former quarterback-turned-minor league baseball player has signed a one-year deal to play tight end for his hometown Jacksonville Jaguars and reunite with his old University of Florida coach, Urban Meyer. 

‘I want to thank the Jaguars for the opportunity to compete and earn the chance to be part of this team,’ Tebow said in a statement. ‘I know it will be a challenge, but it is a challenge I embrace.

‘I am dedicated to taking the direction of our coaching staff and learning from my teammates. I appreciate everyone’s support as I embark on this new journey.’ 

The former Heisman Trophy winner had been expected to sign with the Jaguars after reports surfaced last month that he worked out for the team in Jacksonville. He will initially wear No. 85, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport

Specifics of the contract have not been reported, but if the deal isn’t guaranteed, the Jaguars could cut Tebow in training camp without owing him much money.

Tim Tebow's NFL comeback is officially underway as the former quarterback-turned-minor league baseball player has signed a one-year deal to play tight end for his hometown Jacksonville Jaguars and reunite with his old University of Florida coach, Urban Meyer. Tebow, the son of Christian missionaries, is still an on-air analyst for ESPN's college football coverage. He recently celebrated his one-year anniversary with wife Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters (right), the 2017 Miss Universe winner

Tim Tebow’s NFL comeback is officially underway as the former quarterback-turned-minor league baseball player has signed a one-year deal to play tight end for his hometown Jacksonville Jaguars and reunite with his old University of Florida coach, Urban Meyer. Tebow, the son of Christian missionaries, is still an on-air analyst for ESPN’s college football coverage. He recently celebrated his one-year anniversary with wife Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters (right), the 2017 Miss Universe winner

Tebow, 33, has not played in an NFL game since 2012, when the Jaguars' franchise quarterback and top-overall pick of the 2021 draft Trevor Lawrence (pictured) was just 12-years-old

Tebow recently worked out for new Jaguars coach Urban Meyer (right), who coached him at Florida

Tebow, 33, has not played in an NFL game since 2012, when the Jaguars’ franchise quarterback and top-overall pick of the 2021 draft Trevor Lawrence (left) was just 12-years-old. Tebow recently worked out for new Jaguars coach Urban Meyer (right), who coached him at Florida 

It may look odd to some, but Tim Tebow is being listed as a tight end by the Jaguars

It may look odd to some, but Tim Tebow is being listed as a tight end by the Jaguars 

Tebow, 33, has not played in an NFL game since 2012, when the Jaguars’ franchise quarterback and top-overall pick of the 2021 draft Trevor Lawrence was just 12-years-old. 

At 6-foot-3, 255 pounds, Tebow has a frame to play tight end, and Jacksonville is relatively inexperienced at the position. Jaguars tight ends Chris Manhertz, James O’Shaughnessy, and rookie Luke Farrell have only 100 combined catches in the NFL.

He did play one snap at tight end for the New York Jets in 2012, but failed to catch the Mark Sanchez pass thrown in his direction.  

‘All jokes aside,’ tweeted former NFL offensive lineman Geoff Schwartz after reports of the imminent signing surfaced last week. ‘Why is Tebow back in the NFL. (sic) There’s no proper explanation for this. Dude hasn’t seen the field in the regular season in 8 years.’

The news follows Tebow’s recent decision to retire from baseball after four years in the New York Mets’ farm system. He’s also been an on-air analyst for ESPN’s college football coverage, and Tebow recently celebrated his one-year anniversary with wife Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters, the 2017 Miss Universe winner.

Tebow played in the New York Mets' organization from 2016 to 2019, reaching as high as Triple-A in 2019, but announced his retirement from baseball in February. In 2019, which turned out to be his final season due to the pandemic, Tebow batted .163 in 77 games at Triple-A - the highest level of minor league baseball - before suffering a season-ending pinky injury. He finishes his career with a .223 average over 287 minor league games

Tebow played in the New York Mets’ organization from 2016 to 2019, reaching as high as Triple-A in 2019, but announced his retirement from baseball in February. In 2019, which turned out to be his final season due to the pandemic, Tebow batted .163 in 77 games at Triple-A – the highest level of minor league baseball – before suffering a season-ending pinky injury. He finishes his career with a .223 average over 287 minor league games

Tebow, who was born in the Philippines but was raised in Jacksonville, starred at the University of Florida under Meyer, who’s entering his first season as the Jaguars’ head coach. 

The 2007 Heisman Trophy winner was a dual-threat quarterback who ran for 57 touchdowns over four seasons with the Gators, while also passing for 88 TDs.

Accuracy issues limited Tebow’s potential as a quarterback and after losing the starter’s job in Denver, he ultimately failed to carve out a role with the New York Jets in 2012. Tebow went on to have brief stints with the New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles, but never officially played for either team in a regular season game.

There remains some debate over how good Tebow really was in the NFL, but the numbers are not on his side.

In 2011, the only season he played regularly, Tebow completed 46.5 percent of his passes. For comparison, no qualifying NFL passer had a lower completion mark than 57 percent in 2020.

‘When he was a quarterback in the NFL, that was a big topic,’ Meyer told reporters last week. ‘I was so busy I couldn’t give him the time. ”What do you think? What do you think?” And I didn’t know. I was too busy to even think it through.

‘I know playing a position in the NFL without [experience], that’s a long shot. This was years ago.’

He played in the New York Mets’ organization from 2016 to 2019, reaching as high as Triple-A in 2019, but announced his retirement from baseball in February.

In 2019, which turned out to be his final season due to the pandemic, Tebow batted .163 in 77 games at Triple-A – the highest level of minor league baseball – before suffering a season-ending pinky injury. He finishes his career with a .223 average over 287 minor league games.

As a quarterback at Florida and in the NFL, Tebow was known for kneeling in prayer after TDs

As a quarterback at Florida and in the NFL, Tebow was known for kneeling in prayer after TDs

As a quarterback under coach Urban Meyer (right) at Florida, Tebow won a national title and a Heisman Trophy

As a quarterback under coach Urban Meyer (right) at Florida, Tebow won a national title and a Heisman Trophy 

source: dailymail.co.uk