Patriots set to sign Gators QB Tim Tebow

By Adam Silverstein
June 10, 2013

Just over one month after being waived by the New York Jets, former Florida Gators quarterback Tim Tebow has found a home with the team that always seemed like the best fit for his unique talents and personality. According to multiple media reports, Tebow will sign with the New England Patriots on Monday and be in uniform for the first day of mandatory minicamp on Tuesday.

The Patriots are acquiring Tebow as a quarterback, according to ESPN’s Ed Werder, and have already waived third-stringer Mike Kafka in order to bring the former Heisman Trophy winner into the fold. New England had previously looked to trade back-up signal caller Ryan Mallett, who just happens to wear Tebow’s No. 15, earlier in the offseason.

Joining the Patriots, Tebow reunites with offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, who selected him with the No. 25 overall pick in the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft while serving as head coach of the Denver Broncos.

“The thing that really makes this unique and gives it real potential is the presence of offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels,” Werder reported Monday on SportsCenter. “He believes he has the ability to teach mechanics to quarterbacks. He was undergoing that process with Tebow on a daily basis in Denver his rookie year.”

Ironically, a Yahoo! Sports report from May noted that New England head coach Bill Belichick “hated” Tebow as a football player. Four days ago, Belichick emphatically refuted that report to ESPNBoston.com.

“Every single player has strengths and weaknesses but regardless of that, for anyone to have represented that is the way I feel about Tim Tebow is completely untrue, baseless and irresponsible. It is unfortunate that something so inaccurate was reported,” he said.

In fact, Werder explained on SportsCenter that this move had been discussed by the two parties and under consideration for a long time.

“One of the things the Patriots wanted to see before they agreed to do this deal with Tebow was they wanted to see him maintain a low-key presence throughout the offseason. And to the extend he could control that, he certainly delivered on it.”

Tebow barely contributed to the Jets in 2012, seeing the field in just 12 games and rarely playing on offense. He completed 6-of-8 passes for 39 yards and took 32 carries for 102 yards, never once finding the end zone.

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One year earlier, as a mid-season replacement at quarterback for the Broncos, Tebow set the league on fire by leading his team to numerous come-from-behind victories and seven wins in eight games from Weeks 7-14.

Tebow also threw a game-winning overtime touchdown against Pittsburgh in the Wild Card round of the 2012 NFL Playoffs. He went 10-of-21 for 316 yards with two passing touchdowns and carried the ball 10 times for 50 yards and a rushing score in that game.

Tebow joins former Gators tight end Aaron Hernandez and linebackers Brandon Spikes and Jermaine Cunningham with the Patriots. All four were key players in Florida winning the 2008 national title.

Photo Credit: ESPN

4 Comments

  1. Michael Jones says:

    How sweet is that? Beyond my ability to describe it, that’s how sweet it is. Right coach to play for and learn from, right QB to play behind and learn from, right franchise that can handle it and turn what used to be a circus into the developing, growing work in progress that Tim has never had the chance to be. Sweet.

  2. Ken (CA) says:

    Well, this is always where everyone thought was the best spot for him to end up, and as he refuted that he made that comment about Tebow, I kept scratching my head wondering why he didn’t deny it until 4 days ago. Now I get it, though. If people knew they had interest in him, no way he could have kept any kind of a low profile no matter how hard he tried.

    Learn all you can from Mr. Brady and hang out with all your great Gator friends on the Pats….I used to hate the Patriots because of spygate, but I will be rooting for them now with so many gators and Timmy. Glad someone will give him a chance, and with Belechick and McDaniels, I think he will be given every opportunity to learn and succeed.

  3. g8ter27 says:

    Damn..well now I am a Pats fan. Didn’t think I would ever say that..but now I am.

    • Michael Jones says:

      You got that right. I’m now a full-fledged, card-carrying, looking-to-buy-a-jersey Pats fan too. Might even start talking with a Boston accent.

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