Tim Tebow is heading back to college football.
Less than a week after being cut by the Philadelphia Eagles, the former NFL quarterback is returning to the SEC Network, ESPN announced on Wednesday afternoon.
“Tim quickly developed into an excellent analyst last year, and we were not shy about acknowledging his home at ESPN should he be available to return,” said John Wildhack, ESPN Executive Vice President in a statement.
Tebow will return to his role on the network’s pregame show, SEC Nation, on Saturday in a broadcast from Nashville.
The former Florida quarterback’s return to SEC Nation was considered by many to be a foregone conclusion if he didn’t make a NFL squad during the preseason. After he left his job at ESPN to sign with the Eagles in April, the network issued a statement saying that he had a home at ESPN when his playing career was done.
“We appreciate Tim’s contributions to the launch of SEC Network and wish him all the best as he pursues his NFL dream. Tim quickly established a tremendous rapport with everyone he worked with in front of and behind the camera. He has a tireless work ethic and a unique passion for football,” Wildhack said at the time.
But for a few months, it seemed like there was a chance Tebow would at least have a few weeks on the field back in the professional game during the regular season. A few days before he was released, Eagles coach Chip Kelly said he believed Tebow “had a good camp.”
“I’ve seen Tim improve since he got here,” Kelly said last week. “I’ve seen him improve his throwing motion … I think he’s really worked very hard at that, sequencing his throwing motion. I think he’s been a lot more accurate with his passes.”
Though he has often said his goal is to be an NFL quarterback, a return to the television screen sends Tebow back to the place many thought it seemed obvious for him to continue his career. In addition to duties with SEC Network last season, he appeared on Good Morning America as a contributor to the popular show’s ‘Motivate Me Monday’ series.
Source: USA TODAY
