ESPN: Look, we re-upped with Tim Tebow, so get off our case

By Dan Calabrese —— Bio and Archives May 11, 2017

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We love Tim Tebow here - even if he does play in the Mets organization - and we're always happy to hear that something positive has happened in his career and in his life. So when ESPN re-upped with Tebow on his deal to be part of its college football studio offerings, we were nothing if not pleased. If Tebow wants to do TV while pursuing his baseball dreams, we're all over it. But we couldn't help but wonder: Does ESPN usually make such a big deal out of an existing talent re-signing? Because if one were inclined to be a little suspicious, one might almost suspect they had an ulterior motive in trumpeting this: ESPN has announced a multiyear agreement with Tim Tebow, who will continue as an analyst on the SEC Network.

Tebow has worked as a studio analyst for the SEC Network since its 2014 debut. He will remain part of SEC Nation, the network's traveling Saturday pregame show. "Over the last three years ESPN and the SEC Nation crew have become like family," Tebow said in a news release. "I love the passion that SEC fans bring to our set every Saturday morning and I look forward to continuing to share my own love of the game with fans on ESPN and SEC Network." Maybe the mere fact that ESPN kept someone instead of getting rid of them makes this news. But with all the attention they've been getting lately about their leftward political tilt and the corresponding drop in their ratings and revenues, it's hard not to infer a subtext: Look, conservatives, we're keeping Tim Tebow. OK? It's Tim Tebow! So get off our case, will ya? Tebow is not the type to get into controversial issues on social media or elsewhere, with the obvious exception of his unflinching embrace of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It's more his style to lead by example than to talk, so maybe ESPN isn't concerned he's going to go Curt Schilling on them and actually say something that sends liberal viewers scurrying to their safe spaces. Or maybe Tebow's been told he'd better not. I'm not much of a college football fan so I don't expect to be watching much of Tebow's on-air stylings, but I wish him nothing but success. And maybe this does show that ESPN has learned something. If so, it will good for them, good for sports fans and good for pretty much everyone.