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Skip Bayless defends Tim Tebow's viral block in Jacksonville Jaguars debut
Tim Tebow, the tight end, is officially back in action — and back making headlines.
While 2021 No. 1 overall pick Trevor Lawrence's preseason debut for the Jacksonville Jaguars on Saturday garnered plenty of attention, it was Tebow's performance that went viral.
The 34-year-old QB-turned-TE played 16 snaps at his new position, with each play receiving arguably as much frame-by-frame analysis as the Zapruder film.
That's nothing new for Tebow, who returned to the NFL this offseason following a six-year absence in which he pursued a professional baseball career.
The biggest viral moment came late in the third quarter, when Tebow came down the line of scrimmage on a run-blocking play. Running back Dare Ogunbowale wound up gaining 6 yards on second-and-8, but Tebow's contribution to the play fell under the microscope.
That clip caused a bit of a social media firestorm.
As did another, as Tebow's blocking faculties caught additional heat.
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Despite all the criticism, Skip Bayless of "Undisputed" challenged those who dogged Tebow.
When reacting to the first clip, which showed Ogunbowale gaining 6 yards, Bayless wondered what more Tebow could have done.
Bayless' cohost, Shannon Sharpe — a Hall of Famer at the tight end position — weighed in on the play, too.
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On Monday's episode of "Undisputed," Bayless continued his defense of Tebow, reiterating that no other athlete is as polarizing as Tebow.
"Once again, this proves my point: No athlete I've ever covered or closely observed has ever detonated the sports world to the love side and the hate side the way Timothy Richard Tebow continues to do it at age 34," Bayless said.
Skip Bayless defends Tim Tebow's failed block attempt in preseason debut with the Jaguars I UNDISPUTED
Bayless then broke down the play that went viral, once again asking what more Tebow could have done.
"He's going down the line, and as he looks to his left, [Browns DE] Curtis Weaver is crashing down the line of scrimmage," Bayless said.
"And I'm sure there's some shock factor like, ‘What is he doing? Well, I guess I'll chip him a little bit as he goes by just to make sure he stays blocked over in that direction.' … The point was: He accomplished what his designation on the play was."
To be fair, Tebow could have had a catch to add to his stat sheet, had wideout Tavon Austin not popped up in the same soft spot in coverage underneath the TE to make the snag.
All in all, the reaction to Tebow's preseason debut didn't come as much of a shock. No matter what he did — good, bad or otherwise — it was going to be picked apart.
The question now is: Will Tebow's debut at tight end be limited to a cameo?
The first round of cuts for Urban Meyer and the Jaguars, which will bring the roster from 90 players to 85, is Tuesday.
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