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Tim Tebow Told Kyler Murray to Follow His Heart Before 2019 NFL Draft Decision
February 16, 2019
Tim Tebow is one of the few athletes ever to have the opportunities to play both football and baseball professionally, so as he chatted with former Oklahoma Sooners star Kyler Murray about a life-changing decision, the quarterback-turned-outfielder offered simple advice.
Tebow revealed to reporters on Saturday that he told Murray to follow his heart, per Deesha Thosar of the New York Daily News:
"Kyler, I think he's a really good young man, and I think this was a really tough decision for him," Tebow said. "He loves two sports, and I can really relate to that. And he went with something that he's been really good at lately and dominating in. When we talked about it, and we did talk about that, I just gave him the advice to follow your heart. Whatever you're passionate about."
"You know what? Don't do it for your agents, or your friends and sometimes necessarily even your family. Do it for what's on your heart, and don't let other people define you. You're going to have all these coaches that you look up to and everybody else that's going to tell you what they think, but what's most important is following your heart and your passion. And so, I don't know, hopefully he did that."
Ultimately, Murray's heart led him to pursue his NFL dreams.
Murray is coming off a Heisman Trophy-winning campaign in which he completed 69 percent of his passes for 4,361 yards, 42 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He also added 1,001 yards and 12 scores on the ground. Meanwhile, he led the Sooners to a Big 12 title and a berth in the College Football Playoff.
None of that would have been possible, though, without the Oakland Athletics. After drafting Murray ninth overall in last year's MLB draft, Oakland permitted Murray to play another season of college football, as he had a chance to win the starting quarterback job in Norman.
Murray was not viewed as a top NFL prospect at that time—but a prolific season that resulted in the Heisman changed everything.
He now has the opportunity to become the first player ever drafted in the first round of both the MLB and NFL drafts.
Like Murray, Tebow is a former Heisman Trophy winner who had both NFL and MLB aspirations. A first-round pick of the Denver Broncos back in 2010, Tebow enjoyed early success in the NFL, leading the Broncos to a postseason victory in the 2011 season. However, he would be out of the league by 2015.
Tebow, 31, is expected to begin the 2019 season in Triple-A in the New York Mets' organization.