Tim Tebow’s Return to the NFL

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Many people may know Heisman winner Tim Tebow from his college football days at the University of Florida. Others may know him for his outspokenness about his Christian faith. After being awarded the Heisman trophy and winning two National Championships, he then later went on to the National Football League (NFL) where he spent 2010-2015 playing for four different teams. After Tebow’s initial tenure in the NFL, he signed a contract with the New York Mets to play in their system of minor league teams.

Most recently, Tebow signed with Jacksonville Jaguars for a one year contract worth $920,000 (non guaranteed). While many fans, players, and coaches around the league are excited to see Tebow, there is controversy that just because Tim Tebow is now so beloved and famous, he is getting an opportunity over someone else who has worked their way out of college and on the practice squad. 

New Jacksonville Jaguars Coach Urban Meyer has experience coaching football as he coached for the Florida team that Tebow played for and had a long tenure of Ohio State University. New draft picks from Clemson, Trevor Lawrence (quarterback) and Travis Etienne (running back), played against Urban Meyer when he was the head coach at Ohio State. While the Jaguars have a high powered offense with Lawrence at QB, Etienne at running back and slot receiver, along with Tebow at TE, many are still rubbed the wrong way with the signing of Tebow, who has never played as a TE and has been out of the NFL for five years.

According to Saturday Down South, many, such as quarterback Trevor Lawrence, are excited and optimistic about having the 33-year old around saying, “He looks great. He’s just a guy you want to be around. Character is awesome. Had a few conversations with him and I can already tell and just a hard worker. No one is going to work harder than him. Those are the kind of guys you want in your locker room and you want to be around every day.” 

Others around the league have been highly critical of the signing of Tebow to the Jaguars, such as Slate Magazine. “If Tebow is a son to the Meyers, then Urban Meyer is hiring an unqualified family member to try a difficult and competitive job. Meyer has an elite football mind and knows well that Tebow’s success as a QB in Gainesville in the late aughts says nothing about his ability to play a new and difficult position in his mid-30s, after five years out of the sport.”

Scott Saylor, a junior at CFHS, conveyed, “I am excited to see what Tebow can do at the new position, and to see how the new Jacksonville Jaguars team performs.”

While many have different opinions on the return of Tebow with the Jaguars, the Jaguars will face off against the Houston Texans in their first regular season game on September 12, 2021 at 1:00 p.m.

Will Tebow prove his worth? Only time will tell.