The Tebow Experiment Ends - My Thoughts

First and foremost, I've always liked Tim Tebow. I got to see his last collegiate game when he was still at the University of Florida. They trounced Cincinnati in the 2010 Sugar Bowl 51-24 and Tebow threw for 482 yards and three touchdowns hitting on 31 of 35 pass attempts. He also added 51 rushing yards and a touchdown for good measure. It was an impressive performance, possibly one of the most impressive I've ever witnessed in person. I pulled for him when he was with Denver as they stunned Pittsburgh in that 2011 playoff game, and I always hoped he'd catch on somewhere. If nothing else, he was a unique talent.

That said, I was certainly shocked when it was announced that Jacksonville was bringing him in to play Tight End this season. Tebow last appeared in an NFL game in 2012, and he'd most recently been pursuing his dream of being a professional baseball player with the Mets. Tebow had previously been averse to playing Tight End, instead holding out hope that he'd catch on as a Quarterback somewhere, but that never really materialized. Fast forward to 2021 where Tebow's former college coach Urban Meyer is now the head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars, and Tebow was brought in to audition. When I first heard the news I honestly thought that, more than anything, it was a PR gimmick. Tebow - while polarizing - puts fans in the stands, especially in a place like Jacksonville, where he's from. I remember arguing years ago that Jacksonville should have brought him in to play QB. At least then they wouldn't have been blacking out their home games due to poor attendance. But alas, they did not.

And now the Tebow TE experiment is over. He appeared in the Jags' preseason opener, getting targeted once, but otherwise not ending up in the box score. He struggled with blocking (understandably so), and from my understanding, he was the only tight end on the roster not to participate in special teams because he isn't experienced with tackling. I suppose that's something I never considered with regards to having Tebow on the roster as some sort of gadget player. When it came down to it, Tebow just didn't have enough gadgets. Anyhow, the Jags have moved on, and I think that's for the best for everyone. Maybe Tebow catches on as an assistant coach or something. He's clearly respected in the game of football. Then again, he may end up back in broadcasting/analysis. Or who knows, maybe he has dreams of playing pro basketball as well! Maybe someone's in the market for a 6'2" lefty point guard! We'll see I guess.