Bill Belichick has always had a reputation of a no-nonsense and ruthless NFL coach. It has been both, lauded and criticized over the years. While there’s no doubt that it contributed immensely to six Super Bowl wins for the New England Patriots, it also resulted in a fair share of casualties. Apparently, Tim Tebow was one of them, who reportedly lost out on a lucrative $1 million endorsement deal due to Belichick’s approach.
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In his book ‘Shaken,’ Tebow reveals how his decision to join the Patriots with the goal of learning from coaching legend Bill Belichick came at a significant cost. Tebow was aiming to soak up knowledge from Belichick and Tom Brady. However, things took an unexpected turn for him when he was cut by Belichick.
Tim Tebow, Bill Belichick and a Missed Million Dollar Endorsement
Tim Tebow wanted his journey with the New England Patriots in 2013 to be a story of hope and ambition. At the time, Tebow was struggling to maintain his professional football career. The Patriots signing came as a ray of hope for him and he grabbed the opportunity with both hands.
Aug 22, 2013; Detroit, MI, USA; New England Patriots quarterbacks Ryan Mallett (15), Tim Tebow (5) and Tom Brady walk to the field prior to a preseason game against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports pic.twitter.com/M3bZ2Adndd
— Noah Riffe (@NoahRiffe) June 27, 2023
However, Tebow’s aspirations didn’t go as he planned. During his time with the Patriots, he had a chance to secure a $1 million endorsement deal. It was for a single-day commercial shoot. Normally, this would have been a no-brainer, but given the Patriots’ environment, he decided to consult with head coach Bill Belichick.
In his book ‘Shaken,’ Tebow recalled the conversation with Belichick about the endorsement offer. To Tebow’s surprise, Belichick advised him not to take the deal. As a show of respect which Tebow actually had, he decided to take Belichick’s advice. Thus, he declined the $1 million opportunity. However, despite his willingness to heed his coach’s advice, Tebow was eventually cut from the Patriots’ 53-man roster, thus ending his stint with the team.
Tim Tebow Reveals How Coach Belichick Made Him Say ‘No’ to a $1 Million Deal
During his recent appearance at VeeCon 2023, Tebow reminisced about the whole $1 million endorsement which was shot down by Bill Belichick. Tebow shared, ”My agent calls me and says, ‘Hey Timmy, there’s a company that’s filming a commercial, they want to pay you a million dollars’. And I was like, ‘Why? What’s wrong with them?'”
The opportunity sounded too amazing to Tebow at that moment. His agent asked him, “Can I tell them Yes?” However, Tebow had some other ideas. He said to his agent, “I told the coach to go under the radar. I need to call him”. Apparently, Tebow did have a discussion with Belichick. This is how Belichick responded after Tebow explained the scenario to him. In Tebow’s words,
“Timmy, thank you so much for calling, for sharing. I really really do, I appreciate you giving me a call. And Timmy, I appreciate if you turned it down.” Tebow then jokingly said to the audience, “And I was like, I would appreciate if you changed your mind.” Tebow however clarified that he didn’t say anything like that to coach Belichick. He continued, “And I said, ‘Yes sir!’ I called my agent back and said I’m sorry but you got to tell him that we’re going to turn it down.”
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Tim Tebow was eventually released by the New England Patriots before the season began. He ended his speech by saying, “If they gave me a 1% chance to live out something I’m so passionate about, it would be worth it to me.” The endorsement deal would have added greatly to his earnings for the season, but Tebow chose to forego it for his love of the game.
