The first domino in the New York Jets quarterback controversy has fallen, and it's a big one: Tim Tebow has been released by the team.
Meanwhile, Albert Breer of NFL.com looks at the move from a financial perspective and notes that Tebow will now hit the waiver wire this afternoon:
Tebow arrived in New York with a lot of fanfare after being traded to the team before the 2012 season, but he rarely saw the field. The Jets used him in a limited Wildcat role and even on special teams, but he wasn't given a chance to start as a quarterback under head coach Rex Ryan.
And with the team signing David Garrard this offseason and drafting Geno Smith in the second round of the 2013 draft, Tebow very quickly became expendable.
Tebow may find it very difficult to find a job, however. It's clear at this point that most NFL teams don't view him as a starter—per Schefter, the Jets tried to trade him, to no avail—and Tebow brings a media firestorm with him wherever he goes.
If you were an organization, would you bring on a quarterback with a limited skill set as a thrower whom fans would scream for you to start? Would you really want all of that attention being placed on a player who would likely remain your backup?
Since hitting the NFL, Tebow has seen his every move scrutinized and publicized. One of the most decorated college quarterbacks of all time—he won two national championships and a Heisman Trophy while at Florida—Tebow is also an extremely polarizing figure, as he openly promotes his religious beliefs.
He is polarizing as a quarterback as well, with an unorthodox throwing motion and low completion rate for his career (47.9 percent). But he is a bruising, physical runner and is the sort of dedicated, hard-working athlete that coaches and fans love.
Now, his best chance is probably to embrace a switch to a new position. He has the athleticism to play as an H-back and would be a very effective goal-line running back. There are roles for him to fill in this league.
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