Category: Tim Tebow

Urban Meyer says Tim Tebow’s lack of special teams experience hurt his chances to stick with Jags

If an NFL player isn’t a starter, they most definitely need to be able to contribute on special teams — and that’s something that hurt Tim Tebow’s chances with the Jags.

The Jacksonville Jaguars cut one of the most popular figures in the football community in Tim Tebow yesterday, which made them one of Monday’s trending topics. The decision came when the Jags needed to trim their roster down to 85 players on Tuesday, which gave the team some time to evaluate what they saw during their first preseason game against the Cleveland Browns.

Of course, with Urban Meyer speaking with the media Tuesday afternoon he had nothing but respect and kind words for the player who once led his collegiate teams in Gainesville. He also said the decision came down to Tebow only being able to help on the offensive end and not on special teams like many non-starters are often required to do.

“It was special teams,” Meyer said. “This whole roster management is really critical as we journey here into the next two weeks. Two of the special teams phases are tackling and he had never tackled. That’s what I found myself and I still find myself, all of us. Every off day we’ll have a two-to-three-hour meeting about roster management, and it comes down [to that] because we expect to be very good on special teams. The tight end position is one of those [positions], and tailback, if you can’t contribute on special teams, that’s a tough go.”

When looking at the team’s snap chart, Tebow was the only tight end on the roster who didn’t see a special teams snap on Saturday. Even the Jags’ top-2 tight ends James O’Shaughnessy and Chris Manhertz saw at least saw one rep on special teams, so a tight end on the back end of the depth chart would definitely need to be able to contribute there.

As for his performance on the offensive side, he struggled with the blocking aspect of the game tremendously. He also wasn’t able to register a catch, although he was targeted once.

With Tebow’s time with the Jags up, it will be interesting to see what’s next on his agenda. Whether that’s taking another crack at sports or furthering his career as a sports analyst, it’s clear that he has many supporters, and the football community will always be keeping track of his next moves.

Football community reacts to Jags’ decision to waive Tim Tebow

With Tim Tebow being waived by the Jags on Tuesday, there was no shortage of reactions to the move on social media.

The Jacksonville Jaguars had until 4 PM EST on Tuesday to reduce their roster down to 85, but did so early this morning by making several roster moves. Among them was making the decision to waive tight end Tim Tebow, who is one of the most popular figures in football.

Of course, with his name being recognized in and out of the football community, many went to Twitter to share their thoughts. Here are just a few of them as the former Florida Gator will now move on to the next chapter in his career.

Jags waive TE Tim Tebow among other roster moves

Tim Tebow’s return to the NFL has come to an end for now as the Jags waived him Tuesday. Four other roster moves were made, too.

With the Jacksonville Jaguars having to trim their roster down to 85 players, they started their morning making five transactions to get them there. Among them was the release of former first-round quarterback turned tight end, Tim Tebow.

The other moves the Jags made were as follows:

Tebow made his NFL return and joined the Jags after last being on a team on May 20 after he retired from Class AAA baseball for the New York Mets. He had last been with the NFL in 2015 with the Philadelphia Eagles but was waived before the regular season. Tebow, who was a first-round pick in 2010 for the Denver Broncos, was attempting to make a regular season roster for the first time since 2012.

In Saturday’s preseason game against the Cleveland Browns, Tebow didn’t register any stats but appeared to be targeted once for a pass that receiver Tavon Austin ended up snagging and advancing up the field. He also had a rough night with the blocking aspect of the game and was a player who was going to need a lot of time.

Cornerback DJ Daniel, who was waived, joined the team as an undrafted free agent after the 2021 NFL Draft out of Georgia. He only saw four snaps in the Jags preseason opener.

Both Josh Imatorbhebhe and Tim Jones, who are receivers, didn’t play in Saturday’s game due to injuries. Meanwhile, Daniel Ross sustained an ankle injury in the fourth quarter of the game after sustaining a chop block from a Browns offensive lineman.

Tim Tebow blasted for lackluster preseason debut with Jags

With the Jags set to make some roster cuts on Tuesday, Tim Tebow certainly didn’t have the type of Week 1 preseason performance many were hoping for.

For probably the first time in the team’s history, many fans in the football community were eager to see the Jacksonville Jaguars take the field for their first preseason game as Trevor Lawrence was set to make his NFL debut. However, the former Clemson star wasn’t the only player the world was tuned in to see as Saturday’s game also marked the return of Tim Tebow to the NFL — but this time as a tight end.

Unfortunately, those who wanted to see a positive highlight from Tebow got quite the opposite as the former Florida Gator has gone viral for all the wrong reasons. On a second-down play with 28 seconds remaining in the game, Tebow made a bad slide block attempt on defensive end Curtis Weaver, and as a result, he was left spinning like a propeller in addition to being the butt of many preseason jokes.

For those who haven’t seen it, check it out below.

The block was one where Tebow was supposed to help pave a lane for running back Dare Ogunbowale, but that didn’t exactly happen. Still, despite the lack of major contact he was able to get on Weaver, Ogunbowale was able to bounce the play to the outside, but it looks like the play could’ve gone way worse than it did.

Tebow took the field for 16 snaps Saturday and didn’t register a catch as a receiver. He had an opportunity to snag one catch, but receiver Tavon Austin stepped in from of him for the reception and advanced it up the field.

With the Jags having to cut their roster down to 85 by Tuesday, Aug. 17, this was probably not the performance Tebow was hoping for to stick around. Ultimately, time will tell if he will make it to see the next preseason game, which will need to come with a better performance.

2021 Jaguars training camp: Day 1 practice takeaways

It was an interesting Day 1 of Jaguars camp as the offense seems to have come out swinging.

The day that Jacksonville Jaguars fans have long been awaiting since the team went on their post-minicamp break has arrived as they returned to the field for their first training camp practice. As expected it was a productive day, but one where the offense provided a majority of the highlight plays.

Here are some of the takeaways the media was able to accumulate during and after Day 1’s session:

It was a predominantly good day for the QBs

Of course, the main player fans and the media wanted insight on was No. 1 overall pick Trevor Lawrence — and he didn’t disappoint. Per First Coast News’ Mia O’Brien, Lawrence’s day was highlighted by a strong final team period. During that time he was able to hit Phillip Dorsett (a favorite target of his) and Josh Imatorbhehe for gains of over 30 and 20 yards, respectively. Overall, O’Brien said his intermediate throws were impressive and noted that his physical abilities may give him the luxury of making things look effortless in the pocket.

Minshew, who split starting reps with Lawrence, also looked solid and also flourished with his intermediate throws. One of the notable throws of the day came when he was able to hit James O’Shaugnessy (a favorite target of his) on a go-route.

Lastly, veteran quarterback C.J. Beathard had what was believed to be his most consistent practice of this offseason. This comes after he struggled during organized team activities in the eyes of most, but with three preseason games taking place next month, he’ll have more than enough time to prove himself and it appears he started that journey Wednesday.

Of course, the quarterbacks weren’t perfect on Wednesday. There was a minor issue where Lawrence struggled with handling a snap with Tyler Shatley (the person at fault varied from onlookers). Minshew, on the other hand, had a throw batted down by edge-rusher Lerentee McCray and had a notable under throw to D.J. Chark when he was in double coverage.

According to Michael DiRocco of ESPN, Beathard had the highest completion percentage of the day although he didn’t see nearly the amount of snaps Minshew and Lawrence did.

Should there be concerns for the backup OL?

With Minshew (and sometimes Lawrence) taking snaps behind the starting offensive line, the group predominantly looked good, but the backups allowed a concerning amount of pressure by the eyes of O’Brien. With Lawrence and Beathard seeing snaps behind them, both quarterbacks didn’t have the cleanest pockets and two players who were specifically mentioned were right guard Ben Bartch and right tackle Will Richardson. That said, aside from second-round pick Walker Little there seems to be some concerns early for the second and third-team offensive lines and their week-to-week progress will be worth monitoring.

Tim Tebow update

One of the notable topics of Wednesday’s practice was the performance of tight end Tim Tebow. Those who attended once again took note of his impressive physique and also came away impressed with a couple of passes he caught from Lawrence and Beathard, though he did have a drop. Still, it sounds like Tebow had the type of day he can build on and potentially push for a spot on the 53-man roster.

Jags have surpassed the 80% vaccination rate

Jags coach Urban Meyer told the media that the Jags are currently over the 80% rate when it comes to player vaccinations. This news comes after the team had a lagging figure in the category last month.

There were already benefits and competitive advantages for players who were vaccinated, but the NFL gave unvaccinated players more of a reason to be vaccinated last week when they sent out a memo. The most important takeaways from it was that players could lose paychecks or cause their team to forfeit games if an outbreak was caused by an unvaccinated player.

Only time will tell if the Jags get closer to the 85-90% range, but we’ll be sure to monitor the progress they are making down the road.

Injury news

  • The Jags announced that they placed three more players on their active/non-football injury list Wednesday morning. This group of players included receiver Jamal Agnew, defensive tackle Taven Bryan, and kicker Aldrick Rosas.
  • Third-round pick Andre Cisco took the practice field Wednesday and looks ready to return from the ACL tear he had last fall. He joined the rest of the Jags’ safeties for individual drills and was seen running and jumping around without any issues. With his health trending upward and him feeling 100% (or close to it), it will be interesting to see when he’ll take the field for team drills as he’s expected to push for a starting role.

Gardner Minshew on Tim Tebow: ‘He’s attacking every drill’

Minshew said he’s been impressed by Tebow’s work ethic so far.

Though there was certainly a media frenzy when the Jacksonville Jaguars initially signed him this offseason, quarterback-turned-tight end Tim Tebow largely went about his business during organized team activities without much distraction. He’s still considered a longshot to make the 53-man roster after a nine-year sabbatical from being on one, but it sounds like Tebow is working hard to try to secure a spot.

According to quarterback Gardner Minshew, who has started for Jacksonville the last two years, Tebow’s work ethic has been noticeable to this point. On an episode of the “Green Light with Chris Long” podcast, Minshew said that Tebow is putting in the effort on the practice field.

“We haven’t been in pads yet, so [we’ll] kind figure that out more in camp,” Minshew said, according to quotes transcribed by 247Sports. “But, I mean, he’s attacking special-teams drills. He’s attacking every drill. He’s running drill to drill. Everything is high energy with him. If he messes something up, you see some guys can shake it. It affects him. He doesn’t like it. He wants to get it right. He’s going to go to the side, get a couple reps, get it right and come back in. And he’s just a guy that genuinely wants it, man. It’s awesome to see.”

Asked by Long if he finds himself a bit starstruck by Tebow at times, Minshew, who grew up a fan of him, conceded that it happens fairly regularly.

“Dude, every day — it’s so cool,” Minshew said. “Like, I throw him a touchdowns and just the best thing ever. I was going crazy, just yelling, ‘Tim Tebow touchdown.’ Like, I had his jersey growing up. Like, I went to one of his games — actually shook his hand before a game. He doesn’t remember it, but something that’ll stick with me. He’s a pretty bad dude. But no, it’s so cool, man. And you meet him and he’s everything you’d want him to be and more. Like, it’s so cool.”

The Jaguars and coach Urban Meyer are hopeful that the addition of Tebow will help a thin tight end group that currently only includes veteran James O’Shaughnessy, free-agent signing Chris Manhertz, Tyler Davis, and rookie Luke Farrell.

Whether he’s good enough to play tight end at the NFL level remains to be seen, but it’s clear that his approach has made a strong impression on at least some of his teammates.

Tim Tebow signs endorsement deal with Clean Juice

Tim Tebow is getting on the endorsement wave like Trevor Lawrence now that he has returned to the NFL.

This spring, Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence not only proved that small market players can get endorsements, but he may have proven to be one of the NFL’s best in acquiring deals without taking a snap in the pros. He ultimately was able to secure deals with Gatorade, Adidas, Bose, Topps, and Blockfolio, within a matter of a few weeks, getting his career off to a nice start financially.

However, with a new face joining the team on May 20 in Tim Tebow, the Jags gained another marketable face, although not on the same level. As a former quarterback for the Gators and first-round pick in the NFL Draft, Tebow established a following that remains strong and endorsement deals have come as a result.

However, on Tuesday he added another endorsement deal and agreed to become the national brand ambassador for Clean Juice. According to the Florida Times-Union, the company said their partnership with the Jags tight end would be highlighted by him in their first-ever national television spot.

Tebow said the company won him over with products that were both clean and healthy. He also likes how transparent they are about what goes in their products which range from cold-pressed juices, smoothies, wraps, toasts, fruit bowls, and more. 

“I’m very excited to be partnering with Clean Juice and to offer something that is truly clean and healthy,” said Tebow. “The biggest thing about Clean Juice over everything else is that you can trust the product and brand. There aren’t a lot of products that are transparent about what is in your food.”

For the fans of Jacksonville wanting to try the Clean Juice experience from one of their restaurants, the is one nearby on 250 Pine Lake Drive in Ponte Vedra. Their menu has a wide variety of options for those who are looking for a healthy diet like their berry and peach bowls, their BBQ and Cali Wraps, and their numerous drinks (smoothies, juices, cold-press juices, etc.).

CBS Sports lists TE Tim Tebow as Jags’ most notable candidate for chopping block

Tight end Tim Tebow may just be the most popular name on the Jacksonville Jaguars’ roster, but there are many who aren’t high on his chances to remain on the team past training camp. CBS Sports’ Patrik Walker is among the many analysts who believe …

Tight end Tim Tebow may just be the most popular name on the Jacksonville Jaguars’ roster, but there are many who aren’t high on his chances to remain on the team past training camp.

CBS Sports’ Patrik Walker is among the many analysts who believe Tebow’s attempt to be a tight end will fall short, listing the former quarterback on his list of players who could be on the “chopping block” for the Jags when looking at all 32 teams. 

Tebow had to know this was a long shot when he signed on, and his only saving grace might be his relationship with Urban Meyer — the reason he’s getting this shot in the first place. That said, even Meyer is claiming Tebow will be evaluated like others on the roster with no special considerations. Time will tell if that’s true, but if it is, Tebow’s experiment at tight end could end soon. The Jaguars have several tight ends already on the roster who have a ton of experience at the position, headlined by Chris Manhertz, who was also invited to the famed “Tight End University” instead of Tebow. Headlines aside, this is the most sensical cut to be made by the Jaguars, unless they want to sacrifice a seat on their 53-man roster for a 33-year-old who’s never played tight end before and came out of retirement to try.

This was probably one of the easiest picks in the league for Walker to make for the reasons mentioned above.

When it comes to tight ends, coach Urban Meyer has elected to single out players like James O’Shaughnessy and Ben Ellefson, both of whom he believes have made strides. Chris Manhertz is a player who Meyer has also considered a surprise in terms of his potential as a receiver. When looking at those three players alone and how much more they are established than Tebow, it’s hard to see the Jags naming the former Gator to the tight end depth chart over them as it would cause players to question Meyer. 

A better place for Tebow may be on the practice squad. A few reporters have said he doesn’t exactly look bad at the position, but more so unpolished. That sounds like a practice squad player if the Jags could get past the fact that he’s 33. Then again, the great thing about the preseason is that stars can emerge, and though it’s unlikely for Tebow, he at least has a chance to make his case come training camp and in mid-August to the late part of the month.

Raiders TE Darren Waller says he’s willing to mentor Tim Tebow if needed

Darren Waller knows all about the transition to tight end, which is why he wouldn’t mind helping Tim Tebow learn the position.

New Jacksonville Jaguars addition Tim Tebow didn’t get to attend the league’s recent tight end summit due to being a late preseason signing, but it appears he has many veterans willing to help him learn his new position. Among them is Las Vegas Raiders star Darren Waller, who made a transition to tight end himself (from receiver) once he was drafted out of Georgia Tech.

“If [Tebow] thinks he can learn from me, then I’d love to help him and help make his transition smoother,” Waller said. “I tried to find any information I could from watching guys play or asking people when I moved. So I’d love to continue to pass that on and help him be a better player.”

The Jags made the decision to sign Tebow on May 20 and it came with a lot of backlash. However, things have simmered down since and it’s good to see other tight ends in the NFL willing to help the former quarterback out.

Tebow’s chances to make the roster don’t seem great, but practice squad could be an option for him as reporters have said he doesn’t look completely out of place for a newcomer at the position. With training camp coming up, fans will probably get a closer look at him for themselves as the Jags and the NFL ramp things up to prepare for the regular season.

Eric Mangini says it’s ‘too late’ for Tebow to transition to tight end

Former NFL coach Eric Mangini doesn’t think Tebow’s odds of making the Jags roster are very high.

There are certainly a fair number of critics toward Jacksonville’s decision to bring in Tim Tebow as a tight end. The 33-year-old hasn’t been on a 53-man roster since 2012 and hasn’t played tight end since his freshman year of high school.

Among Tebow’s critics is former NFL coach Eric Mangini, who was the head coach of the New York Jets from 2006-08 and Cleveland Browns from 2009-10. On an episode of “The Herd” with Colin Cowherd, Mangini said that it’s too late in Tebow’s career for him to switch positions like this.

“Urban’s going through a learning curve with a lot of things…and this looks like one of those situations where he had a guy he likes and cares about and wanted to give an opportunity,” Mangini said to Cowherd, according to transcripts obtained from 247Sports. “As he comes in, looks at him and realizes, not just age, but the transition to a different position and the other skill guys he has available. It’s just not going to work. Maybe it works from a practice squad perspective, maybe he can keep him around in that way. Maybe he just wants the presence in the locker room and that becomes a practice squad type role, coaching in the locker type of thing. But it’s too late to make this transition and not enough to make it work.”

Tebow has long been considered a longshot to make the roster since his signing. Jags coach Urban Meyer didn’t offer much clarity when asked last week about Tebow’s odds of making the team, saying that his former player at Florida is simply “one of 90.”

As Mangini mentioned, Tebow could certainly be a practice squad candidate if he doesn’t make the 53-man roster, as the Jags’ thin tight end group could use a developmental prospect. The only question will be how much Tebow can actually develop at the position.

It’s clear most around the league don’t expect the Tebow experiment to be successful, and it’s fair to say there isn’t much reason to. But only time will tell whether he’ll have a role with the Jags come fall.