Tim Tebow isn’t the greatest player to be cut by an NFL team in the preseason, but his star power shined so bright in the few weeks he spent with the Jacksonville Jaguars that he’ll go down as one of the most notable cuts of the last quarter-century.
Bryan DeArdo of CBSSports included the Gators legend on a list of most notable NFL cuts over the last 25 years shortly after he was released. What’s unique about his entry on the list is that Tebow is the clear black sheep of the group. Most of the list is composed of Hall of Famers who did well after being cut, including Jerry Rice, LaDanian Tomlinson, Peyton Manning and Charles Woodson.
“Tebow’s name recognition and unbelievable popularity was enough to warrant a spot on this list,” according to DeArdo. “In a preseason weekend that included the debut of several high-profile rookie quarterbacks, it was Tebow’s preseason debut that went viral on social media.”
Of course, it was nearly the perfect storm to create that kind of media craze. It’s not often a legendary coach and Heisman trophy quarterback reunite at the pro level in the same state as their college run. Add in the fact that Tebow is one of the most polarizing players in football history and it’s hard to argue against his placement on the list.
Former Gator Emmit Smith also made the list for being waived by the Dallas Cowboys in 2003. The Hall of Famer went on to rush for nearly 1,200 yards over two more seasons with Arizona to finish his career.
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