Has anyone in sports had a career like Tim Tebow has and will continue to have?
I don’t think so.
It’s been quite the roller-coaster ride, and now, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Jacksonville Jaguars — coached by former Florida bench boss Urban Meyer — are “planning to sign” Gators legend Tim Tebow, who is working on converting into a tight end.
Now seems like a really good time to look back on the stops in Tebow’s wild career in sports and remember that while there have been two-sport pro athletes, none of them — at least that I can recall! — picked up baseball for the first time and made it Triple-A after leading an NFL team to a playoff win as a quarterback … and then converted to tight end in his thirties.
College football: He won two BCS championships for Florida
Tebow is in the conversation for the greatest college football career — in 2006, he helped the Gators win a BCS title, he won the Heisman trophy in 2007 after a monster season (32 touchdowns through the air, 23 on the ground), then led the team to another BCS title in 2008.
He also delivered this memorable speech after a loss:
NFL: From first-round pick in 2010 to winning a playoff game with the Denver Broncos
There were many critics and analysts who thought he couldn’t be a QB in the NFL, and they were probably right.
But: he won a playoff game! Remember the 2011 AFC Wild Card contest against the Pittsburgh Steelers? Of course you do!!!
NFL: The Peyton Manning signing forces Tebow out to the Jets
In 2012, John Elway would sign Peyton Manning to help the Broncos eventually win another Super Bowl. That made Tebow expendable, and Denver sent him to the New York Jets.
Who could forget the topless run in the rain?
I have a mancrush #Tebow #Rain pic.twitter.com/upWLvIR9
— CDeanEverywhere (@CDeanEverywhere) August 7, 2012
What was forgettable is the rest of his time with the Jets. The stats that year: two starts, 6-of-8 for 39 yards, 32 rushes for 102 yards. Bleh.
NFL: Bill Belichick signs him ...
But after a couple of preseason games in 2013, he was cut by the New England Patriots.
NFL: He joined the Eagles ...
… and was released by Philly at the end of the 2015 preseason.
BROADCASTING: He joined ESPN as a college football analyst
There were takes aplenty about all kinds of stuff including college players getting endorsements and why the playoffs don’t need to expand:
.@TimTebow passionately expresses his thoughts on the California Senate passing a bill allowing student-athletes to have endorsements. pic.twitter.com/W5uBW7ePNm
— First Take (@FirstTake) September 13, 2019
MLB: He tried out as a baseball player (!) and signed a minor-league deal with the New York Mets
NO ONE saw this coming. Tebow hadn’t played since high school, yet here he was swinging a bat … and hitting home runs on his very first pitch he saw as a member of the Mets:
MLB: He made it all the way up to Triple-A
That’s an INCREDIBLE accomplishment. Throughout his tenure, which included invites to major league camp, he hit 18 dingers in 287 games, although he struck out 327 times (not a typo! But what did you expect?). The fact he did anything in Triple-A is amazing.
Heck, he even hit a home run off veteran reliever Alex Wilson!
ITS TEBOW TIME! #LGM pic.twitter.com/eCj50KZjrm
— Jonathan Vasquez (@_jonvasquez) February 25, 2020
The fielding? Not quite as good.
This was supposed to be the end of the game, Tim Tebow had some trouble though. pic.twitter.com/awrH2yxSwo
— Michael Mayer (@mikemayer22) February 28, 2020
NFL: Tim Tebow, Jaguars tight end
I mean … wow.
The #Jaguars are planning to sign QB-turned-TE Tim Tebow to a 1-year deal, per me and @TomPelissero, a deal that could be official in the next week or so. Nothing done yet. But he’ll have a chance to make the team to reunite with his mentor and college head coach Urban Meyer.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) May 10, 2021
Dude is going to be a 33-year-old first-time tight end. If he sticks with the Jags, he’s going to break Twitter when he scores in a game this fall.
UPDATE: He was released after struggling in his first preseason game.
