Tim Tebow Trade: Complete Timeline of Wild Fiasco

Richard Langford

Jun 7, 2018

Tim Tebow was a Jet. Than he wasn't, and things were looking grim for this marriage as the trade attempt wobbled like a hastily thrown third quarter Tebow pass. Then, with a miraculous turn of events and the clock winding down, everything spiraled into place and this marriage became a reality.

We should have known this is how it would go all along.

The saga began as Tebow's former team, the Denver Broncos signed Peyton Manning.

TOP NEWS

Peyton Manning Speculation Phase

The Broncos were one of the major players for Manning's services right from the outset. It didn't take long for people to start speculating that if the four-time MVP did sign with the Broncos that Tebow would be available.

ESPN's John Clayton cited this rumor on ESPN radio, the weekend before Manning signed:

"
Here's an interesting proposition, just a rumor. Let's say you have Manning going to Denver. Tim Tebow is probably going to be traded. He's not going to Jacksonville, they've already got Chad Henne. New England. You trade him to New England and groom him to be kind of a role player, and then you trade Ryan Mallett in some way. It's just a rumor.
"

Monday, March 19th

Reports of Peyton signing with the Broncos began to appear on Monday. At that moment, Tebow trade rumors kicked into high gear.

It was obvious that he was not going to be given a shot to compete for the starting job with Peyton on the roster.

Tuesday, March 20th

On Tuesday, it became official, Peyton was a Bronco, and so the teams in play for Tebow came into focus.

Teams wasted no time getting the negotiations going. At 9:08 a.m. ET, Tania Ganguli of the Florida Times-Union updated us by relaying a report from Schefter.

"
Adam Schefter says on ESPN the Broncos have already fielded calls about Tebow and they would like to get the trade done quickly.
—Tania Ganguli (@taniaganguli) March 20, 2012"

Adam Schefter, of ESPN, brought us up to speed on interested teams in the Tebow race.

"
Teams that have discussed a trade for quarterback Tim Tebow, either internally or with the Denver Broncos, include the Jacksonville Jaguars, Green Bay Packers, Miami Dolphins and New York Jets, a league source said.

One league source categorized the Jets as "a long shot."
"

I guess when we're talking long shots and Tim Tebow, they aren't all that long after all. But that is certainly how they were viewed.

ESPN New York's Rich Cimini echoed that sentiment.

"
The Jets are often linked to star players when they become available—see Peyton Manning—so now everyone is speculating about Tim Tebow. The chances of them aggressively pursuing Tim Tebow are “a long shot at best,” a league source said Monday.

Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum has a reputation for exploring just about everything and, after all, a “long shot” doesn’t mean no shot.
"

At 4:16 p.m. ET, Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News, went even further than saying they were a long shot.

"
Source tells me it's "not likely" that Tim Tebow's next destination will be the Jets. Story: nydn.us/GDV7Ex #nfl
—Manish Mehta(@TheJetsStream) March 20, 2012"

Then, as Tuesday was winding down, the Jets were beginning to shed the long shot label. The NFL Network's Michael Lombardi reported that the New York Jets and Jacksonville Jaguars were among several teams that have "serious interest" in trading for Tebow.

Wednesday, March 21st

By early Wednesday morning the Jets had switched from long shots to finalists.

David Pingalore of WKMG Sports in Orlando is reported the following:

"
Tim Tebow, whose stardom rose to national levels this past season as he led the Denver Broncos to nine wins and a playoff defeat of the Pittsburgh Steelers, is expected to be traded to either the Jacksonville Jaguars or the New York Jets by midday on Wednesday, a source close to Tebow told WKMG Sports Director David Pingalore.
"

12:36 p.m. ET: Just as the race seemed to come down to two teams, Lombardi cluttered it with another team.

"
Add the St Louis Rams as a team strongly interested in trading for Tim Tebow
—Michael Lombardi (@michaelombardi) March 21, 2012"

12:45 p.m. ET: Jay Glazer, of FOX Sports, rattled the sports world with this tweet.

"
Breaking news: Ny Jets have just traded a 4th round pick for Tim Tebow
"

"—'Jay Glazer (@JayGlazer) March 21, 2012"

"
"

3:13 p.m. ET: Everyone was forced to hold up. New York was thrown into chaos. There was a problem with the Tebow trade, and it was all about the Benjamins.

Schefter described in a series of tweets, starting with this one:

"
Filed to ESPN (1): Denver and Jets have encountered hangup in language in Tim Tebow's contract that could nullify trade.
—Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 21, 2012"

"
Tim Tebow has $5 million worth of recapture language, meaning Jets would have to pay back money to Denver. Jets might be unwilling. Complex.
—Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 21, 2012"

"
The same money issues in Tim Tebow's contract caused complications for Jacksonville trying to complete trade. Now Jets facing them.
—Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 21, 2012"

Just to make the mess even more chaotic, Schefter reported that all of this brought the Rams back into play.

"
(2) If the Tebow trade to Jets falls apart, St. Louis could wind up getting back into play. Sides sorting through details.
"

8:25 p.m. ET: The Broncos must have decided to start playing nice because the Jags and Jets were back in place, and Tebow could take his pick. Schefter had the news:

"
Tim Tebow is being allowed to pick the team he wants to go to. He picks the trade. Jets or Jacksonville.
—Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 22, 2012"

8:48 p.m. ET: This is the magical time that the saga concludes, and the Big Apple and Tim Tebow became one. Who else, but Schefter, could break the news at this point.