Photo by Matt Danders (Unsplash).
The XFL is off to an unprecedented start so far and the rival NFL league should absolutely be terrified of its newfound success. It’s largely the same game but with a few tweaks.
But the best difference is that the XFL refuses to allow its athletes to kneel during the National Anthem like instigator Colin Kaepernick did just over three years ago. The XFL is always looking for new quarterback prospects.
And Tim Tebow just revealed his decision on joining the XFL.
It was reported last week that Colin Kaepernick wanted an eye-popping amount of money to play quarterback for the XFL. He demanded a regular-season salary of $20 million when the highest-paid players only receive $500,000.
The new Vince McMahon league seemed to want zero of that nonsense.
XFL Commissioner Oliver Luck noted, “I think his salary demands are way out of our ballpark. was never really a viable option.”
The new league is exciting and there are already some rising stars in the league that include Cardale Jones, Eli Rogers, Rashad Ross, Antonio Callaway, and Landry Jones.
The ratings are way beyond what was expected, and the stadium attendance is already through the roof that would embarrass most NFL franchises.
But while quarterback position might be the hardest to play in all of sports; there is one player that we all assumed would be seriously interested and that’s Tim Tebow.
However, speaking to reporters at a press conference on Sunday, he was asked whether he would consider playing for the XFL.
Tebow explained, “We had a couple conversations. But it was pretty clear that this was — I love what they’re doing. I think it has a chance to have success. And I think that’s great. And so I think there needs to be a place for a lot of players that are really good and should and could be playing in the NFL and are better than a lot of NFL players.”
No kidding. There are a lot of players in the XFL that could easily be in the NFL, but as is almost everything, there’s politics involved. You could even argue that Tebow could very well be still playing in the NFL too.
Some of them might make the jump. After all, the Alliance of American Football, which folded last year midseason, had several players make the leap to the NFL.
Tebow added, “And there’s a chance they’re going to be seen. So I think it’s awesome and I think it’s good for a lot of guys that are going to get a spot on an NFL roster because they’re going show a team that they’re worth it. But for me this is what I wanted to do and pursuit it and be all in and just, yeah.”
It sounds like Tebow’s first love right now is baseball. He’s perfectly content playing in the Minors currently and many baseball aficionados believe he could make the jump to the Major Leagues soon.
The real loss is the XFL. OF course, the new league has more ratings than any minor league team could hope for but people come out in droves to watch Tebow in a small baseball park. Outside of possibly Michael Jordan when he retired from basketball the first time to play baseball, Tebow is undoubtedly the most popular minor league player of all time.
It speaks volumes to Tebow’s influence as a Christian and just an all-around magnanimous person.
Also, there’s something undeniably infectious about how he bets on himself and consistently proves his doubters wrong.