Opinion: Tim Tebow Should Play Football, Not Baseball

Tim Tebow, a football player, was once voted the best football player in college football. He then continued his football career by playing quarterback for the Denver Broncos, New York Jets, New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles. His on-field success never meshed with sky-high expectations. That said, Tebow is better at playing football than most Americans are at their respective jobs.

So, naturally, he has announced his intention to play Major League Baseball.

This is a mistake. He should play football instead.

I understand the ideal is far-fetched, so stick with me. Imagine a world where Tebow simply switches positions. He could use all of his football skills and knowledge of the game as a fullback or tight end. Sure, those positions don’t come with the glory of being a quarterback but they involve playing football.

Tebow should also play football because it’s been 11-12 years since he’s played competitive baseball. There is a chance his swing has gathered some dust. There’s also the very real possibility that the professional pitchers he’ll face in his new career are better than high schoolers. His .494 average may not translate after jumping several levels.

Tebow should play football because there’s very little market for an unproven 29-year-old former left fielder who hasn’t seen a breaking pitch in over a decade. Whatever interest his fame affords him will still be rather unglamorous.

Tebow should play baseball if he wants to ride on a bus, stay in mediocre hotels and make $25,000 a year (that is the best-case scenario). He should play baseball if he wants to further his status as America’s mascot and give his army of sycophantic fans something new to defend. He should play baseball if he wants a sudden burst of media attention.

Of course, he should also play baseball if that’s what he really wants to do. Part of him must really believe he has what it takes to suddenly be a Major League-caliber hitter. Part of him must not think the notion sounds wildly egotistical and misguided.

Is he really convinced, deep down, that his future is in baseball? Just a few weeks ago he told Doug Gottlieb that he believed he could still be an effective NFL quarterback.

Yes, it was certainly a simpler time back when Tebow and the public both agreed that he should play football. We didn’t know how well we had it. We didn’t know that at any time the world could get turned upside-down.

Tebow is evidently a man who changes his pepperoni pizza order to a stack of pancakes after being informed the restaurant only has sausage. No one’s going to tell him what he should do, let alone some random blogger.

But this needs to be pointed out, if only to retain a shred of sanity.

Tim Tebow, a football player, should play football.

Images via Getty