Tim Tebow's quarterback experience helping him grow as a tight end

Tim Tebow already made a grand entrance into the NFL 11 years ago as a quarterback with the Denver Broncos. Now, Tebow is giving football a shot as a tight end with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio says that Jaguars passing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach Brian Schottenheimer believes that Tebow’s prior experience at quarterback will help him grow at his new position.

Tebow is still growing as a tight end

So far, Tebow’s entire collegiate and professional football careers have been as a quarterback. Due to his knowledge of the quarterback position, he is able to do things as a tight end to help the offense. Tebow sees the game as a quarterback and having someone like that is valuable.

“You see the football mind, you see how he sees the game from the quarterback’s point of view,” Schottenheimer said on Saturday. “There was a play a couple days ago in the red zone where I think it was CJ [Beathard] broke out and scrambled left and the first guy that saw it was Tim and we threw him a touchdown pass. Why is that? Well, he has played the position. He has stood back there and seen, “Oh well he is moving this direction, I have to go with him.’ It is going to be fun to watch him compete in the preseason as well.”

Tebow is no stranger to trying out new sports or positions. He played minor league baseball from 2016-2019, making it to triple-A in the New York Mets organization. As he learns how to play tight end while trying to earn a roster spot in the preseason, Tebow is great about asking questions to make sure he fully understands what is needed from him. Tebow knows that he does not have experience as a tight end.

“He knows there are things he does not know,” Schottenheimer said. “He asks unbelievable questions, you know, he really does.”

Tebow’s time as a quarterback was memorable

After playing four seasons with the Florida Gators and winning the 2007 Heisman Trophy, Tebow was drafted 25^th overall by the Denver Broncos in the 2010 NFL Draft. He completed 66.4 percent of his collegiate pass attempts, throwing for 9,285 yards and 88 touchdowns. Tebow also dominated in the running game, adding 2,947 yards and 57 touchdowns on the ground.

The Broncos played Tebow sparingly as a rookie and to begin his second NFL season. After Kyle Orton led Denver to a 1-3 start in 2011, Tebow got his chance. He led the Broncos to an 8-8 record, which was good enough to sneak into the playoffs. Tebow then put on a show in the wildcard round of the playoffs to defeat the Pittsburgh Steelers. The New England Patriots ended Denver’s run in the divisional round, but Tebow showed glimpses of being an elite NFL quarterback during the run.

Tebow threw for 1,729 yards, 12 touchdowns and six interceptions and added 660 yards and six touchdowns rushing in 2011. The Broncos controversially traded Tebow to the New York Jets following the season. Tebow played sparingly in New York and was ultimately released following the 2012 season.

Tebow’s experience and knowledge of the game from a quarterback’s perspective will prove to be valuable for the Jacksonville Jaguars as rookie quarterback Trevor Lawrence begins his NFL career.