Charles Barkley skeptical of Tim Tebow’s NFL comeback attempt

Tim Tebow is attempting to resurrect his NFL career alongside former college coach Urban Myer with the Jacksonville Jaguars, and there is unsurprisingly no shortage of naysayers questioning the move. Count outspoken “Inside the NBA” analyst Charles Barkley among the many skeptics.

The Tebow experiment is underway with the Jaguars following the athlete’s bid at an MLB career with the New York Mets bottomed out.

The foray into professional baseball followed Tebow’s NFL career petering out. After entering the league as a first-round draft pick of the Denver Broncos in 2010, Tebow hasn’t been in the league since 2015 and hasn’t seen the gridiron in a regular-season game since 2012.

Further complicating Tebow’s aspirations of returning to the NFL is a difficult position switch. After resisting the suggestion to switch positions after entering the NFL as a quarterback with a questionable skill set, Tebow has relented and pinned his comeback hopes on a switch to tight end at the age of 33.

While he has supporters in the Jaguars locker room, including No. 1 pick Trevor Lawrence (not to mention Meyer, most importantly), the detractors are widespread and vocal. Barkley joined that group during an appearance this week on ESPN Chicago’s “Waddle and Silvy” show.

“I think it’s going to be very difficult for him to just pick up football, another position,” Barkley said, per 247 Sports. “Tim’s such a good dude, but you know, a lot of people don’t like Tim because his religion. He wears it on his sleeve. I don’t care about that. I like the kid, but I don’t think he can just come pick up another position.”

The general consensus is that Tebow is unlikely to land a spot on the Jags’ 53-man roster, though nothing can be ruled out. That said, Barkley doubts such a remarkable development will come to fruition and that the effort is arguably a questionable proposition in the first place.

“To think he can just come pick up another position. I just think, I think you’re just being disrespectful to jocks, saying ‘Oh, I haven’t been playing football, but I can come and be a pro at it.’ I just think that’s impossible personally,” Barkley added, via Saturday Down South.

The Tebow signing has been one of the biggest stories of this NFL offseason, but seemingly everything involving the polarizing athlete tends to generate headlines, for better or worse. While the odds are stacked against him, Tebow’s efforts at a comeback alone will undoubtedly continue to generate interest.