After one preseason game in which he looked like a 34-year-old ex-quarterback who never played tight end before and hasn’t been in the NFL in six years, the Jacksonville Jaguars decided to release Tim Tebow. The former Heisman Trophy winner and member of the New York Mets organization announced the news on his Twitter account.
Thankful for the highs and even the lows, the opportunities, and the setbacks. I’ve never wanted to make decisions out of fear of failure and I’m grateful for the chance to have pursued a dream…
— Tim Tebow (@TimTebow) August 17, 2021
Thank you to the @Jaguars organization and everyone who has supported me in this journey.
And we know that…God works all things together for good. Romans 8:28
— Tim Tebow (@TimTebow) August 17, 2021
In addition to Tebow, Jacksonville announced four other players were waived in an attempt to reduce its roster size.
The Jaguars have cut down to 85. The Tim Tebow experiment is over. pic.twitter.com/puuXi5uOQx
— Andy Staples (@Andy_Staples) August 17, 2021
The Jaguars, who are coached by Tebow’s former Florida coach Urban Meyer, decided to bring him in at a new position earlier this year and gave him a look at tight end. While we don’t know how things went during practices and workouts and those sorts of things, we did see Tebow during the team’s first preseason game against the Cleveland Browns in which he was targeted once and whiffed on a pair of blocks that brought him a ton of attention on Twitter.
Tim Tebow: TE1pic.twitter.com/1mih6jFhUk
— PFF (@PFF) August 15, 2021
Honestly, the Tebow block that went viral wasn’t even his worst block of the night. This was *the very next play* pic.twitter.com/tINWyJpWSE
— Chris Paul Towers (@CTowersCBS) August 16, 2021
In response, a number of football fans took to Twitter and got jokes off about this experiment going awry.
I presume they’ll be doing this for every other camp slapdick who gets cut pic.twitter.com/r019oL2s6O
— Barry Petchesky (@barry) August 17, 2021
Urban Meyer cutting Tim Tebow pic.twitter.com/lk87KK2wK6
— Tyler Conway (@jtylerconway) August 17, 2021
tim tebow next year pic.twitter.com/lguZX2GUQb
— Steven Ruiz (@theStevenRuiz) August 17, 2021
I think Tim Tebow should just go be the buffest dude at the local gym, honestly that seems really fulfilling
— BUM CHILLUPS AKA SPENCER HALL (@edsbs) August 17, 2021
Tim Tebow, released like a guy being blocked by Tim Tebow https://t.co/ix5wTdlsjl
— Sen. Lemon Gogurt (R – MS) (@Ugarles) August 17, 2021
At least we could LOL at Tebow a few more times before his retirement https://t.co/BBQ27YRTUm
— gifdsports (@gifdsports) August 17, 2021
Tim Tebow waives in Jacksonville and everyone else claps.
— RJ Young (@RJ_Young) August 17, 2021
Urban Meyer and the Jaguars coaching staff, breaking the news to Tim Tebow that he’s been cut pic.twitter.com/hnWIDRzPhq
— NOTSportsCenter (@NOTSportsCenter) August 17, 2021
Yes we released Tebow….but it was in Jesus name
— lil duval (@lilduval) August 17, 2021
Time for Tebow to achieve his final form at Middle Linebacker
— Boston Connor (@BostonConnr) August 17, 2021
am i the only one who’s a little sad we don’t get more tebow blocking clips now
— lifelong orlando magic fan ace (@AceAnbender) August 17, 2021
Jaguars sold some jerseys, Tebow got to have fantasy camp for a little bit, Urban got to hire someone he loves regardless of qualification, and we in the blogging world got some posts off. That’s how the sausage is made, baby
— Alex Kirshner (@alex_kirshner) August 17, 2021
As for why this entire experiment happened, and why a number of folks were on board with giving someone who has never played tight end and was last a professional football player during the Obama administration a chance, here’s a tweet.
How many people are looking for reimbursement right now after Tebow couldn’t make it past the first preseason game? pic.twitter.com/MAhoWWAcAR
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) August 17, 2021
The Jaguars will next take the field for a preseason game on Monday against the New Orleans Saints.