Having seen Tim Tebow’s presence simultaneously shake, annoy, and baffle the 2012 Jets, who had no real use for him, one might think Monday’s news from the NFL Network, that the Jaguars plan to sign the Heisman Trophy winner. 2007, it could cause a little acid reflux.
But the truth about Tebow’s third act, this time as a 33-year-old first-time tight end (this, after three years in the Mets’ minor league baseball system) is that it strangely makes perfect sense now. Despite all the clamor from those who suggest that Tebow is some kind of golden sports tourist or delusional retiree who can’t admit that his glory days are behind him, there is absolutely no problem with the Jaguars signing him and letting him jump. during volunteering. training. It can even be a great advantage.
We’re not imagining anything quite like what Rex Ryan did on that fateful afternoon when he decided to take a roster already steeped in chemistry issues and ego management issues and add a global megastar still radiating from an unlikely playoff victory in Denver. Whatever that fever dream is, think: The movie version of Taysom Hill, this is something as far away as the minor league baseball fields Tebow has been working on for the past several years.
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What is fair to say? Tebow will arrive at the camp and immediately absorb all the media attention. Will be the history for a while, despite the fact that the franchise just selected one of the most momentous quarterback prospects of the past four decades. Someone who, even for a millisecond, can make Trevor Lawrence feel like he’s not melting under a microscope will be worth whatever veteran’s minimum wage is offered.
Behind closed doors, Tebow can also provide a sounding board for Lawrence off the field. While all quarterbacks have experience with stardom, the pair share a kind of mutual flirtation with something. beyond football. A kind of creepy uberstardom that causes players to stumble upon even weirder and more aggressive corners of the fan spectrum.
And yes, a major Yes“Tebow somehow finds a way to exist on this list, it’s going to be relatively cheap labor. And he is a player who has already demonstrated his ability to function as part of a special teams unit. In our wildest dreams, in a first-and-goal scenario, he can deftly take a shotgun shot and crash into the goal line (or throw a jump pass!), Rather than putting the quarterback at risk. franchise. The last, we will admit, is dancing to the limits of reality right now.
It’s hard to understand the outrage at giving him a now sacred place on the 90-man list. Coaches have exercised these things as irresponsibly as politicians who fill embassies for years. Friends, friends of friends, and friends of friends of friends in this incestuous fraternity often come across a pair of team-provided workout shorts and an odd-numbered spot on the numerical list.
At worst, this situation is no different: one guy who owes much of his career to another who uses some insignificant means at his disposal to help the guy land on his feet somewhere. At best, Tebow can provide minimal return on Urban Meyer’s investment.
The difference between Tebow now and Tebow when he was a member of the Jets is that he is harmless. It’s a blend of stardom, experience, and learned wisdom that you can really bottle and use, not the kind that will accidentally spill from your unlabeled beaker and melt the entire operation into smoke.
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Eddie is an Australian news reporter with over 9 years in the industry and has published on Forbes and tech crunch.