Tim Tebow picked the New York Mets for one specific reason

Dec 5, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Florida Gators former quarterback Tim Tebow on the sideline during the game against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the 2015 SEC Championship Game at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 5, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Florida Gators former quarterback Tim Tebow on the sideline during the game against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the 2015 SEC Championship Game at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports /
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Tim Tebow signed a minor league contract with the New York Mets Thursday morning, and now we know why.

After Tim Tebow’s showcase for MLB teams last week, reviews of his performance were decidedly mixed. Recent rumors pointed to the Atlanta Braves and Toronto Blue Jays as specific teams with interest, and there were presumably other teams with interest that didn’t let it get out.

Even with that in mind, Thursday morning’s news that Tebow will sign a minor league contract with the New York Mets came, pardon the pun, out of left field. But some further insight has come regarding why Tebow chose the Mets over any other team.

After news of Tebow remaining fully committed to his television job at ESPN and the SEC Network, Colin Cowherd of Fox Sports led off his radio show with a notable nugget.

"“Ten teams offered Tim Tebow a contract,” he said. “You’re hearing it here first. Ten teams were interested in Tim Tebow. Only one team — the New York Mets –was willing to let Tebow also do some television work.”"

Tebow will report to the Mets’ Instructional League team in Port St. Lucie, Florida, and in 2015 that commitment ran from Sept. 18-Oct. 12. He will get a few days off per week to continue working for ESPN, but it’s safe to assume Tebow will have to put his full energy toward baseball on a few college football Saturdays this fall.

Related Story: New York Mets to sign Tim Tebow to minor league pact

It’s not at all shocking that Tebow wants to maintain his television job, while supposedly pursuing an MLB career. There’s no guarantee he sticks with his pursuit beyond Instructional League this fall, let alone does enough to convince the Mets to invite him to 2017 spring training. So an apparent life-long dream could end very quickly, based on nothing more than Tebow’s lack of high-level baseball skill.

Tebow’s whole life has a reality show feel to it, and his foray into baseball seems like a means to a wholly unrelated end. The fact he’s not going all-in with it is further proof of that, and speaks to Tebow’s inflated ego above all else.