A few weeks back, rumors began swirling that Tim Tebow and Urban Meyer could be headed towards a reunion in Jacksonville, one that would see the former Heisman Trophy winning quarterback moving to tight end. Things quieted down a bit after that news first hit the Twitterverse, but on Monday, a report indicated that Tebow is going to get a chance with the Jaguars.
Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network brought word that the two sides are closing in on a one-year deal, and while it is “a long shot” that he’ll make the 53-man roster, Tebow is going to get the opportunity to play under his old coach at the University of Florida again.
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
Tim Tebow is 33, hasn’t played in a regular-season NFL game in nine years and is changing positions. He’s a long shot to make the team. But if anyone can find a role for him, it’s Urban Meyer, who molded Tebow into a Heisman winner and two-time national champ at Florida. https://t.co/9hFH0xPAru
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) May 10, 2021
Tebow had a prolific collegiate career, but struggled to parlay that into doing too much in the NFL. His up-and-down 2011 campaign with the Denver Broncos was his only sustained stretch as a starting quarterback, and from there, he bounced around on rosters as a backup and practice squads before leaving the league altogether in 2015. Tebow attempted a baseball career within the New York Mets organization but retired earlier this year.
It is hard to believe there is not a better free agent tight end out there than Tebow, who turns 34 later this year and has never played the position before, but Meyer ostensibly values this relationship enough to give him a chance. Whether or not Tebow can do anything with this chance remains to be seen.