JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Tim Tebow’s NFL comeback is seemingly over.
The Jacksonville Jaguars waived Tebow on Tuesday, parting with the 2007 Heisman Trophy winner who switched from quarterback to tight end in hopes of rejuvenating his pro football career.
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Tebow’s blocking ranged from awkward to awful in Jacksonville’s preseason opener against Cleveland on Saturday night, his 34th birthday. He failed to get a catch and played no snaps on special teams.
“Thankful for the highs and even the lows, the opportunities, and the setbacks,” Tebow posted on Twitter. “I’ve never wanted to make decisions out of fear of failure and I’m grateful for the chance to have pursued a dream.”
Coach Urban Meyer, who recruited Tebow to nearby Florida and gave him another NFL chance, is scheduled to address is decision after practice.
Tebow opened training camp as Jacksonville’s fourth- or fifth-string tight end after switching positions this year. He was trying to return to the NFL after spending the previous five years in the New York Mets’ organization. He hit .223 with 18 home runs and 107 RBIs while never making it to the big leagues.
The #Jaguars have released Tim Tebow. https://t.co/LHLbVdkl3E
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 17, 2021
He asked Meyer for a tryout after retiring from baseball in January. Meyer obliged and ended up giving him a one-year contract worth $920,000, the minimum for a player with three accrued NFL seasons. The low-risk deal includes no guaranteed money, so Tebow would have to make the team to earn a dime.
And that was always the uncertain part. Jacksonville entered camp with three tight ends essentially locked into roster spots: run-blocking specialist Chris Manhertz, fellow veteran James O’Shaughnessy and fifth-round draft pick Luke Farrell.
It quickly became clear that Tebow was less of a pass-catching option than Tyler Davis, a sixth-round selection in 2020, and second-year pro Ben Ellefson.
Denver selected Tebow in the first round in 2010. He led the Broncos to a playoff victory in his second season, but never developed the consistency to be a dependable NFL quarterback. He also failed to stick with the New York Jets, New England and Philadelphia.