In 2011, he was the hottest name in football, for his "Tebowing" and for leading the Denver Broncos into the playoffs.
Before the 2012 season, he was traded to the New York Jets — putting him smack dab in the center of the brightest of the media's spotlights.
Now, quarterback Tim Tebow has been cut after just one season as a little-used backup with the Jets.
The team has confirmed earlier reports from the New York Post, ESPN and NFL.com. It has waived the former University of Florida star:
"We have a great deal of respect for Tim Tebow," Jets head coach Rex Ryan says in a statement released by the team. "Unfortunately, things did not work out the way we all had hoped. Tim is an extremely hard worker, evident by the shape he came back in this offseason. We wish him the best moving forward."
As NFL.com says, once the Jets selected West Virginia's Geno Smith in the second round of last week's draft, Tebow was "the odd man out." His troubles passing the ball — a key skill for a quarterback, obviously — made it tough to keep him on the team. It looks as though incumbent Jets starter Mark Sanchez and Smith will compete for the QB duties.
"Tebow's NFL career is now in major jeopardy, unless of course he accepts a role as anything other than a quarterback. The Jets envisioned him as a Swiss Army knife of a player, and Tebow played a bunch of roles for them early last season — pass protector, punt protector, wide receiver and even H-back. The Jets also wanted to use him as a tailback, though that never materialized."
ESPN adds that "Tebow would help his chances by agreeing to switch positions, several league executives said, but he wants to remain a quarterback."
Update at 9:30 a.m. ET. We're Posing A Question.
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