Former NFL quarterback Tim Tebow signs a contract with New York Mets with a $100,000 signing bonus to play in the minor league baseball. He will have a baseball skill test later this month,
Four years after ending his term with New York Jets, Tebow return to New York to resume his sport career. This time he will start a career path in minor league baseball. Bloomberg reported that the Heissman trophy winner signs the deal with New York Mets with a $100,000 signing bonus.
Tebow is another high-profile professional athlete who switched career to baseball. Previously, in 1994, NBA superstar Michael Jordan signed the contract with Chicago White Sox. Jordan returned to basketball a year later to win another three NBA championship consecutively.
New York Mets declared the signing Tebow is based on the potential he will bring to the team. General manager Sandy Alderson insisted the team decision was not driven by marketing consideration, but strictly a team development.
"This was not something that was driven by marketing considerations or anything of the sort. We are extremely intrigued with the potential that Tim has," ESPN quoted Aldersin as saying.
On the other hand, Tebow understands his decision to start a baseball career is not easy. Therefore, he has prepared himself to face challenges ahead.
"I'm looking forward to putting in the work and I felt like this was the best fit," he said.
Tebow has a glorious career in college football. He won Heissman trophy in 2007 and also won the NCAA Championship in 2006 and 2008 with University of Florida Gators. Afterward, Denver Broncos drafted him in 2010, and he led the team to the 2011 playoffs. Broncos traded him in 2912 to New York Jets, where he played for one disappointing season.
After signing with New York Mets, Tebow will report to the Instructional League in Florida on Sept. 18 to test his baseball skills for three weeks. Based on his result, the Mets will decide whether he will go to the Arizona Fall League, a winter league or get personal tutoring to prepare for spring training.
