While many current and former employees at ESPN are saying their goodbyes, one longtime personality is there to stay.
Tim Tebow, who has covered college football at ESPN since 2013, signed a new, multi-year contract with the network the day before ESPN began a massive new round of layoffs, the New York Post reports.
“I love this game and getting to talk about it every Saturday with the crews on SEC Network, and ESPN is a gift I don’t take lightly,” Tebow said in a statement. “SEC fans bring in a passion that never gets old, and I’m grateful I get to keep doing this alongside people who feel like family.”
The former Florida Gator has spent most of his airtime on SEC Nation, the network’s weekly offering which airs Saturday mornings. He also makes regular appearances on College Football Live and SportsCenter.
“Tim is one of the legendary players in the history of college football, and he will continue to be a fixture in our coverage on SEC Network and across ESPN,” said ESPN President of Content Burke Magnus in a statement. “Tim’s unrivaled experience in the SEC combined with his knowledge and genuine passion for the game make him one of the sport’s most credible voices, particularly among the SEC Nation fanbase.”
Details of Tebow’s new contract remain unknown. Since Monday, the “four-letter network” has laid off several employees, including several well-known and longtime personalities such as Karl Ravech, who had been with the network for 33 years.
In addition to Ravech, the network also parted ways with NFL analysts Ryan Clark, Charles Davis, Cam Newton, Bart Scott, and Tom Pelissero. Other reporters and analysts released included David Lloyd and Stephania Bell, Andreas Hale, and Dan Hajducky.
The heavy attrition among NFL commentators is owed to ESPN’s merger with the NFL Network, which resulted in a surplus of analysts and reporters.
Tebow’s long-run at ESPN came at the end of a storied college career in which he won two national championships at Florida in 2006 and 2008, and a Heisman Trophy in 2007.
Despite being drafted in the first round, Tebow had less success in the pros, though he did guide the Broncos to a playoff win against the Steelers in 2012.