JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) β Tim Tebowβs comeback and NFL career are 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.
βWe knew that was an uphill battle for Tim,β said coach Urban Meyer, who recruited Tebow to nearby Florida. βPlayers loved him, locker room loved him, but it was the right thing (to do).β
Tebowβs blocking ranged from awkward to awful in Jacksonvilleβs preseason opener against Cleveland on his 34th birthday. The polarizing player went viral for two botched attempts on the opening drive of the third quarter Saturday night, the second one more egregious than the first.
βHe has a bunch of good plays but canβt have a bad play at that position,β said Meyer, who spoke to Tebow about the roster decision Monday night and again Tuesday morning.
Tebow also failed to record a catch against the Browns and got no snaps on special teams. Meyer said Tebowβs play lacked consistency, especially in tackling. And if Tebow were going to make Jacksonvilleβs 53-man roster, he needed to be a special teams contributor.
Meyer said he expects this to be the end of Tebowβs playing career.
βI would guess it is,β Meyer said. βWe didnβt get that deep with it. Obviously heβs his own man, elite warrior, elite competitor. But heβs also 34 years old.β
Tebow was shielded from the media circus that followed him during other NFL stops and never publicly addressed his return after nearly six years away from the game. The Jacksonville native responded on Twitter and thanked his hometown team for a chance.
βThankful for the highs and even the lows, the opportunities, and the setbacks,β Tebow wrote. βIβve never wanted to make decisions out of fear of failure and Iβm grateful for the chance to have pursued a dream.β
Tebow opened training camp as Jacksonvilleβs 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 Metsβ organization. He hit .223 with 18 home runs and 107 RBIs while never making it to the big leagues.
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 included no guaranteed money, so Tebow had 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 OβShaughnessy and fifth-round draft pick Luke Farrell.
Former and current NFL players criticized Meyer for giving Tebow a roster spot and pointed out a number of more deserving tight ends on the street. But many of Tebowβs teammates welcomed him with open arms.
βItβs still so cool,β said quarterback Gardner Minshew, who wears No. 15 because he grew up idolizing Tebow. βI mean, every time I throw to him, I just smile. Thatβs like my favorite thing. But itβs like, itβs unbelievable. You hear bigger-than-life stories about the dude and itβs all real. Itβs unbelievable. Truly bigger-than-life-type person, so itβs been really awesome to be around him.β
Tebow flashed early during organized team activities and rarely dropped balls thrown his way. But once camp began and players donned full pads, Tebow faded. 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.
His blocking woes and lack of experience on special teams made Meyerβs decision a relatively easy one.
βItβs special teams,β Meyer said. βThis whole roster management is really critical as we journey here through the next two weeks. Two of the special teams phases are tackling, and heβs never tackled. … We expect to be very good on special teams. Tight end and tailback, if you canβt contribute on special teams, thatβs a tough go.β
Tebow helped Meyer and the Gators win two national championships while becoming one of the most recognizable athletes in college sports.
Denver selected Tebow with the 25th overall pick in the first round in 2010. He led the Broncos to a playoff victory in his second season, but his long windup and inaccuracy led to a short NFL career. He spent time with the Broncos, the New York Jets, New England and Philadelphia.
His last meaningful game came with the Jets in 2012. The Eagles cut him following training camp in 2015, with then-coach Chip Kelly saying Tebow wasnβt good enough to be Phillyβs No. 3 QB.
NOTES: Veteran C Brandon Linder has strained patella tendinitis and Meyer said βweβre going to sit him for a little bit, but heβs fine.β … CB Tre Herndon has a sprained knee ligament and is considered βweek to week.β … The Jaguars also waived CB DJ Daniel, placed DT Daniel Ross on injured reserve and waived/injured WR Josh Imatorbhebhe and Tim Jones.
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