Tim Tebow, ESPN Agree on Multiyear Contract for College Football Coverage

ESPN and college football analyst/New York Mets minor leaguer Tim Tebow announced a multiyear contract extension Monday. 

"Tim brings a wealth of knowledge and passion to his analysis of college football and surprised many fans with his strong opinions and engaging presence on SEC Nation," Stephanie Druley, ESPN senior vice president, event and studio production, said in a statement. "His unique experiences within the SEC and his broad national fan base are huge assets to SEC Nation and ESPN’s larger CFP coverage."

Tebow, who is currently on hiatus from his ESPN job while playing in the Mets' minor league system, joined ESPN in December 2013. He has worked extensively on the SEC Network, most notably as a co-host of SEC Nation.

"Over the last three years ESPN and the SEC Nation crew have become like family," Tebow said. "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."

The release says Tebow's new contract will allow him to continue pursuing a professional baseball career. Tebow is currently hitting .242/.330/.363 with two home runs and nine RBI while playing for the Single-A Columbia Fireflies. The Mets signed him following an open tryout last fall despite Tebow not playing organized baseball in more than a decade.

Tebow's extension also comes during a period of talent upheaval at ESPN. The network laid off roughly 100 employees at the end of April, many of whom were front-facing talents who had become synonymous with the network. NBA reporter Marc Stein, NFL reporter Ed Werder and college football analyst Danny Kanell were among the most notable names let go.

The cuts were part of a sweeping overhaul at ESPN over the last 18 months, as the the mass exodus of cable subscribers and reduced profits forced executives to make budget cuts.