The New England Patriots released Tim Tebow over the weekend. Despite his NFL career once again appearing to be over, Patriots coach Bill Belichick left open the possibility of re-signing Tebow later in the season. While the quarterback's football future is uncertain, one coach believes the Canadian Football League (CFL) is Tebow's best option.
Tebow became a casualty of the 53-man roster cuts on Saturday. His poor preseason performance made it difficult to justify him a roster spot.
In three preseason games, Tebow completed 11-of-30 passes for two touchdowns and two interceptions. The Patriots have usually kept only two quarterbacks on its roster, further lessening Tebow's chances of making the team.
Still, Tebow could find himself back in New England if an injury occurs to either Tom Brady or Ryan Mallett. The 26-year-old now has experience in the Patriots' offense, and Belichick has a history of bringing back ex-players.
When asked, Belichick wouldn't rule out the possibility of Tebow returning.
"I don't know what's going to happen here in the year, but certainly we've had a lot of players who've left here and come back here," Belichick told reporters after cutting Tebow, via USA Today Sports. "It's already happened this year."
Another option for Tebow, at least in the interim, is the CFL. Tebow has previously rejected playing in the CFL, but San Francisco 49ers quarterbacks coach Steve Clarkson believes it's Tebow's best bet.
"It's time now to maybe just reconsider a different path to his ultimate dream. Tim might want to look to the CFL because he may have run out of options in the NFL," Clarkson told USA Today Sports. "Sitting is not an option for Tim. He's ultra-competitive. He needs to stick to his strength, which is being in a competitive environment.
"Anyone who wants to work on their craft the way Tim does, he just needs to give himself a couple of days and really decide, 'Is this what I want to do?' Clearly, football is still in his blood."
Clarkson knows Tebow - he worked to with the quarterback in February. Although the level of success Tebow would have in the pass-happy CFL is uncertain, he'd certainly be a draw for fans.
The CFL wouldn't end Tebow's dream of playing in the NFL - it could actually keep it alive.
