Tebow comes out of retirement to play for the Jaguars

Tim Tebow, perhaps the most respected athlete in America, is returning to professional sports, this time with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

ESPN reports that 33-year-old philanthropist and Christian speaker is signing a one-year contract with the Jaguars to play tight end.

The 2007 Heisman Trophy winner has not been on an official league roster since 2015 when he failed to make the Philadelphia Eagles’ final team.

From there, he launched a five-year Minor League Baseball career with the New York Mets organization. He retired in February.

Jaguars head coach Urban Meyer coached Tebow when he was on the Florida Gators from 2006 until 2009. Meyer said recently Tebow worked out with the Jaguars.

“He worked out with our tight ends coach,” Meyer told reporters. “I stopped by, did not stay for the whole workout. I have one job, and that is to win games with the Jacksonville Jaguars. If Tebow or Travis Etienne can help us win, then that’s my job to get them ready to play.”

Tony Khan, chief football strategy officer for the Jaguars, recently said on the Bleacher Report podcast that Tebow has worked out as a tight end.

“That’s not a position that we’ve seen him play,” Khan said, “but that’s a position that he’s been practicing with us.”

“Obviously,” he continued, “Urban knows Tim really well, and Tim has got a great history of winning. Urban really believes he can help us, and I think it makes a lot of sense. And it’s a position where we need to get better.”

–Wire services