Following a season where he saw limited playing time with the New York Jets, Tim Tebow finally found a new home and despite rumors that his next destination may be in the Canadian Football League or even the Arena League, the former University of Florida standout officially signed with the New England Patriots on Tuesday.
Initially brought in to compete with starter Mark Sanchez, Tim Tebow was never given an opportunity to see the field from the quarterback position, serving as the third QB for most of the season behind Sanchez and Greg McElroy. While the move to bring Tebow to New York was viewed as a publicity stunt by many since the Jets have been known to compete for the back page of New York newspapers, the New England Patriots would much rather compete for championships and while it's not a great bet the quarterback will help them in that regard, the recent signing of Tim Tebow won't hurt the Patriots either.
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Selected with the 25th pick in the 2010 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos, Tim Tebow burst onto the NFL scene in 2011 when he took over Denver's starting job in Week 5 after the Broncos struggled early with a 1-4 start. Tebow went on to guide Denver to 7 wins during the remainder of the regular season while guiding the team to a playoff berth. The 25-year-old led his squad to an upset playoff victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first round of the postseason and despite falling to the New England Patriots the next week, Tebow's efforts were applauded as he was the driving force behind the revival of a struggling Bronco team.
Following the signing of future Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning in 2012, Tebow was traded to the New York Jets where many thought he'd have a legitimate chance of competing for everyday playing time under center. Despite the struggles of Sanchez, Tebow was never given adequate time as quarterback, playing most of his minutes on special teams. After a season where he threw only 8 passes and ran the ball a measly 32 times, Tebow was released, leaving his NFL future in serious doubt.
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Enter Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots. With only two quarterbacks on the roster in Tom Brady and Ryan Mallett, New England had a need for another QB and while Tebow won't be expected to be a monumental contributor under center, the former Heisman Trophy winner is just happy to remain in the National Football League where he'll reunite with former head coach Josh McDaniels who is now the Pats' offensive coordinator.
"First and foremost, I just want to thank the Patriots for giving me an opportunity," Tebow said in a statement. "I'm very thankful. It's such an honor to be a Patriot and play for coach Belichick and coach McDaniels, and learn under Tom and be a part of this great franchise and very successful franchise. I found out first hand, lost to them several times. It's going to be a lot of fun. I'm looking forward to working hard every single day and getting a lot better and learning under some great people. Thank you all so much and God bless. I'm sure we'll be talking more soon."
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The Patriots are obviously set at the quarterback position with future Hall of Famer Tom Brady calling the shots and while Tim Tebow's career numbers won't pop off the stat sheet -- 173 of 361 passing for 2,422 yards and 17 touchdowns -- he does bring with him a strong work ethic and the desire to win, something any NFL team can appreciate. Although he's not expected to change positions to say tight end or H-back, don't be surprise if Bill Belichick uses Tebow in creative, situational roles during the course of the upcoming season.
According to sources, Tebow's deal with the Patriots is for two years with no money guaranteed, creating a no-risk situation for the organization and an opportunity for Tim Tebow to prove his worth. He'll wear No. 5 in New England.
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