Malcolm Jenkins weighs in on Tim Tebow and Urban Meyer

Looking back, it wasn’t surprising to see Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Urban Meyer bring in Tim Tebow. Will it have an impact on how he is perceived?

An old adage says that you must hit rock bottom to realize just how bad things are. The Jags haven’t been good for a while but it wasn’t until they lost 15 consecutive games in 2020 that they decided to make significant changes to their front office and the coaching staff. Earlier this year, they hired Meyer to oversee a rebuild and right the ship, and they gave him total freedom to operate how he sees fit.

So far, Meyer has the Jags on the right track. However, his decision to sign Tim Tebow has raised a few eyebrows. A first-round pick in 2010, the Florida product lasted only three seasons in the NFL and is currently making the transition from quarterback to tight end after last appearing in a regular-season game in 2012.

New Orleans safety Malcom Jenkins recently appeared on The Rich Eisen Show and talked about Meyer’s transition to the NFL and the Tebow signing. The Ohio State product believes it’s tough for college coaches to adjust to the pros because ‘they are used to having a certain level of control’. The 2009 first-round pick says Meyer is known as a high-intensity type coach, and he’s interested in seeing what kind of adjustment he makes in the NFL.

Later in the show, Jenkins was asked about the Jaguars’ decision to sign Tebow. The former Buckeye makes a valid point. He says it isn’t as if Meyer went and signed every former Gator that played for him. On the other hand, the safety wonders how players looked at the signing and whether they respected it.

As long as Tim Tebow can contribute, the Jaguars will be fine.

Keep in mind that signing Tebow in itself isn’t shocking. As Jenkins said, the 2010 first-round pick played for Meyer at Florida. What makes his signing particularly amusing is that the two-time BCS National Champion has been out of football for several years and he wasn’t someone NFL teams coveted. Also, he was previously told to switch to tight end but he wasn’t interested. It wasn’t until Meyer got to the NFL that he considered making the move. The Jaguars’ tight end room isn’t in great shape, so Tebow has a legitimate shot to make the final 53-man roster.

So far, there haven’t been reports of favoritism or special treatment. Tebow is putting his head down and has been working hard. There were reports not everybody was on board with his singing, but as long as he contributes on the field, it won’t matter what others think. The former Gator won’t suddenly turn into an All-Pro tight end, but if he can make a few plays and bring the kind of leadership he had at Florida, he should be fine.

Meyer’s reputation would take a hit if Tebow struggled but still were treated like a superstar. Again, that hasn’t happened. If he makes the roster, it will be because he can bring something to the table. If the value isn’t there, the Jaguars can simply move on from him. Meyer doesn’t look like the kind of coach that will force things. He has surrounded himself with football people that will help him make sound decisions. He saw the backlash of the Chris Doyle hire and changed course. He will likely do the same if Tebow can’t cut it.