Steve Spurrier says Tim Tebow gave him official response about potential football return
Here are two interesting facts regarding former football and current minor league baseball star Tim Tebow.
First, Tebow is actually resembling an actual Double-A baseball prospect these days.
Second, despite his growth as a baseball player, Tebow’s highest peaks as an athlete will still be associated with football.
Given those two facts, many people were fascinated to see what Tebow’s response would be to Steve Spurrier, the head coach of an Orlando team in the Alliance for American Football. Spurrier has made no secret that he wants to see Tebow quarterbacking his team.
Tebow had previously alluded to wanting to stick with baseball, but always left the door ajar about possibly hurling the pigskin again.
According to Spurrier, however, Tebow seems wholly committed to being a baseball prospect for the time being.
Speaking on The Paul Finebaum Show, per Saturday Down South, Spurrier revealed what exactly Tebow told him.
Spurrier reached out to the polarizing Tebow via text and was politely let down by the two-time college football national champion.
“He said ‘Coach, I’m gonna keep swinging the bat and see what happens,’” Spurrier said.
Of course, that doesn’t mean Spurrier is giving up on his dream to see Tebow playing football again.
“I told Tim Tebow if, for some reason, his baseball career doesn’t work out, we have a No. 15 (jersey) down in Orlando waiting for him,” Spurrier said.
Ignoring the business practices of promising someone a job a year before that job is technically even available, Spurrier’s desire to see Tebow on the gridiron again is not uncommon among sports fans. Tebow’s combination of humility, faith and general kindness has endeared himself to many people across the world, regardless of what sport he’s playing.
Play football Tim. @TimTebow . That's where you're best suited.
— Scott Cannon (@ScottCa18138640) June 24, 2018
Despite “Scott Cannon” and his take on Tebow’s athletic prowess, the other nagging factor in a potential return to football is that Tebow has steadily improved as a baseball prospect.
Tebow still strikes out a little too often, but he’s batting a respectable .256 for the Double-A Binghamton Rumble Ponies. That’s good for 5th on the team for all players who’ve played at least 60 games this season. He’s also chipped in five home runs on the year.
Obviously, those numbers don’t promise a ticket to the major leagues just yet, but it’s a far cry from the embarrassing PR stunt that many accused Tebow of participating in when he first ventured into baseball.
The other factor is that Tebow will be 31 by the time the AAF kicks off next year. That’s a ripe sports age to try and transition from baseball back into football, especially considering the vastly different training regimens the two sports require.
The AAF plans to launch its inaugural season in February. If Tebow’s baseball pursuit pans out, he likely won’t be joining them.
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