Tim Tebow: A sports odyssey

Dec. 9, 2007
NEW YORK – Florida quarterback Tim Tebow capped one of the finest seasons in NCAA history by becoming the first sophomore to win the Heisman Trophy.

Jan. 8, 2009
MIAMI – Tim Tebow passed for 231 yards and two touchdowns, rushed for 109 yards and was named Most Outstanding Player in the Florida Gators’ 24-14 victory over Oklahoma in college football’s national championship game.

April 22, 2010
NEW YORK – The Denver Broncos selected Tim Tebow with the 25^th pick, the second of their two in the first round of the NFL Draft. “I want to be a quarterback in the NFL for a great many years,” Tebow said. “That’s been my goal since I was 6 years old.”

March 21, 2012
NEW YORK – Tebowmania is headed to Broadway. The Denver Broncos, after signing former Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning, traded Tim Tebow to the New York Jets.

April 29, 2013
NEW YORK – After failing to find a trade partner for Tim Tebow, the New York Jets cut their celebrated but ineffective quarterback who completed six of eight passes for 39 yards and rushed 32 times for 102 yards and no touchdowns in 12 games.

June 11, 2013
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – The New England Patriots signed Tim Tebow to a one-year contract.

Aug. 31, 2013
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – The New England Patriots released Tim Tebow.

April 20, 2015
PHILADELPHIA – The Philadelphia Eagles signed Tim Tebow to a one-year contract.

Sept. 5, 2015
PHILADELPHIA – The Philadelphia Eagles waived Tim Tebow.

Sept. 6, 2015
PHILADELPHIA – The Philadelphia Eagles released Tim Tebow.

Sept. 8, 2016
NEW YORK – Having flopped with the New York Jets, Tim Tebow, four years removed from his last regular-season snap as an NFL quarterback, will try to revive his career as an outfielder with the New York Mets, signing a minor-league contract that includes a $100,000 signing bonus.

Feb. 17, 2021
NEW YORK – Tim Tebow has retired from baseball. In four years the quarterback-turned-outfielder made it from the New York Mets’ lowest minor-league level to Triple-A, but never the majors.“I loved every minute of the journey,” he said, “but at this time I feel called in other directions.”

May 20, 2021
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Tim Tebow, a Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback for new Jacksonville Jaguars coach Urban Meyer at Florida, a playoff-game-winning quarterback for the Denver Broncos and a New York Mets minor-league outfielder, will now try to restart his NFL career as a tight end with the Jaguars.

Aug. 17, 2021
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Former NFL quarterback Tim Tebow’s longshot dream of making it as a tight end for the Jacksonville Jaguars ended after one preseason game, 89 days after he signed a one-year contract and three days after failing to catch the one pass thrown his way in his 16 plays. “Thankful for the highs and even the lows, the opportunities, and the setbacks. …God works all things together for good. Romans 8:28,” Tebow, 34, wrote on Twitter.

AUG. 27, 2021
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Minnesota Vikings cut Tim Tebow one hour before their preseason game against the Kansas City Chiefs after the placekicking candidate, signed just five days ago, failed on nine practice attempts inside the 21-yard line and kicked out four of holder Britton Colquitt’s teeth on his 10^th and final attempt.
“Tim’s a great guy. I thought he’d be a great influence on our roster,” Vikings GM Rick Spielman said. “But holy crap! I hope I still have my job when the season starts.”

Oct. 1, 2021
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – “I know God works in mysterious ways, but even I can’t comprehend any more what He has in mind for me,” Tim Tebow said after the Carolina Panthers announced the signing of 33-year-old quarterback and lightning rod Colin Kaepernick. He will start next Sunday’s game in Dallas after being out of football since 2016.
Panthers starting quarterback Sam Darnold and backup P.J. Walker suffered multiple injuries Sept. 23 when third-stringer Will Grier, driving a rental, slammed into their car in Houston’s NRG Stadium parking lot after Carolina’s 45-21 victory over the Texans. Grier was suspended by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell pending an investigation.

Oct. 21, 2021
OTTAWA, Ontario – Tim Tebow, signed two weeks ago by the San Jose Sharks as an emergency backup goaltender, was released by the team following its 19-3 loss to the Ottawa Senators.
Tebow, the former NFL quarterback and minor-league baseball outfielder, allowed an NHL single-period record 18 goals after starting goalie James Reimer suffered sudden severe stomach cramps eight minutes into the third period.
“Turns out he can’t catch a puck worth a damn in a real game and if he manages to make a kick save he falls on his a– and needs 15-20 seconds to get back up,” coach Bob Boughner said. “Reimer will be in goal tonight (in Toronto) if I have to pump a gallon of Pepto Bismol into him.”

Oct. 23, 2021
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – Tim Tebow’s tryout with Major League Soccer’s New England Revolution ended after just 15 minutes when coach Bruce Arena shouted at him to “get off the field, out of the stadium and out of my sight.”
Arena said he’d hoped to play Tebow “for the fans” in Sunday’s final home match against Orlando City “but every time we passed him the ball he caught it and threw it 20 meters down the pitch. Couldn’t break him of the habit.”

Aug. 14, 2022
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – “I can take a hint. I’m through with sports,” Tim Tebow said, opening an impromptu poolside news conference at his home on his 35^th birthday.
He said e-mails he sent to 235 professional sports teams including members of the All Pro Polo League, the U.S. Lawn Mower Racing Association and the American Cornhole League went unanswered, except for several inquires as to whether his e-mail account had been hacked.

Feb. 15, 2023
TAMPA, Fla. – In what will surely be called a most electrifying day in NFL history, Bruce Arians retired as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach, Tom Brady retired as their quarterback to replace Arians, and 35-year-old Tim Tebow signed for one year as Brady’s successor.
The moves came just 10 days after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ record third consecutive Super Bowl victory. Tebow’s $65-million deal far exceeds the previous record, the $45-million-a-year contract of Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
But Tebow’s deal will not affect the Bucs’ salary cap since it calls for 17 separate contracts of about $3.83-million payable by him to the Buccaneers after each regular-season game he plays in its entirety. Playoff contracts will be negotiated if the team gets into them.
“I think it’s worth it,” Tebow said. “After six months of doing nothing, I couldn’t get sports out of my system. Now I’m ready to get my first Super Bowl ring and get Tom his 10^th.”

July 23, 2023
TAMPA, Fla. – Tim Tebow’s long-interrupted football career had barely resumed Sunday when it came to a crushing end under 1,100 pounds of Tampa Bay Buccaneers teammates just minutes into the first day of training camp.
It’s called practicing in shells – no pads and no tackling – but on the third play from scrimmage linebackers Joe Tryon and Devin White, nose tackle Vita Vea and defensive end William Gholston converged on the 35-year-old former Florida Gators Heisman Trophy winner, slamming him to the turf.
“I knew right away my left shoulder was broken and probably my collarbone, too, plus when I tried to get up my right knee and ankle gave way,” said Tebow, who last quarterbacked in an NFL game with the 2012 New York Jets and tried but failed to make it as a tight end in Jacksonville’s 2021 training camp. “I guess God has a different plan for me; I just have to figure out what it is.”
Coach Tom Brady said he chewed out the four defensive players, who declined to be interviewed, but that there would be no fines or suspensions. He said he doubted that they “had it in” for Tebow but didn’t seem particularly upset that they had ignored the no-tackling dictum.
“Yeah, it was a bit much, but I like aggressiveness early in camp,” Brady added. He said he didn’t see the actual play because he was on the phone in his office setting up interviews with former NFL quarterbacks Drew Brees, Eli Manning and Philip Rivers.