Tim Tebow has been touched by an angel! Amid mass layoffs at ESPN, Tebow has reportedly signed a multi-year extension, holding the previous faculty soccer participant with the community and internet hosting Saturday morning’s “SEC Nation,” a pregame present he’s been linked to for over a decade. The information of Tebow’s contract extension comes days after the community parted methods with former NFL stars and on-air expertise Rayn Clark and Cam Newton.
ESPN introduced on July 20, 2026, that Tebow had agreed to a multi-year contract extension to proceed internet hosting “SEC Nation” through the faculty soccer season.
“I really like this sport and getting to speak about it each Saturday with the crews on SEC Community and ESPN is a present I don’t take frivolously,” mentioned Tebow. “SEC followers deliver a ardour that by no means will get outdated, and I’m grateful I get to maintain doing this alongside individuals who really feel like household.”
Tebow can even make appearances on different ESPN reveals, together with “School Soccer Dwell,” “Sportscenter,” and extra.
Burke Magnus, President of Content material at ESPN, expressed his pleasure about having Tebow stick across the community for a number of extra years, saying, “Tim is without doubt one of the legendary gamers within the historical past of faculty soccer and he’ll proceed to be a fixture in our protection on SEC Community and throughout ESPN.”
ESPN Has Parted Methods With Notable Expertise, Together with Ryan Clark
The information of Tebow’s contract extension comes at an fascinating time, contemplating the corporate made headlines earlier this week after parting methods with prime expertise, together with former Pittsburgh Steelers participant Ryan Clark.
In keeping with The Blast, ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro mentioned the corporate was pressured to make laborious selections over the previous few weeks, which included parting methods with Clark, who appeared on “NFL Dwell,” “First Take,” “Get Up,” and “SportsCenter.”
“Over the previous a number of months, we’ve made important progress integrating the NFL belongings that we acquired into ESPN,” Pitaro wrote in a memo despatched to the employees. “All through this course of, we now have taken the time to fastidiously consider our collective groups, assets and organizational construction to greatest place us for the longer term. In consequence, we needed to make some troublesome selections about job impacts that we are going to be speaking in the present day.”
Clark Is Maintaining His Head Held Excessive After Shedding His Job
Whereas disappointing, Clark isn’t letting the information hold him down, as he posted a montage of movies of him figuring out on Tuesday, July 21, and informing his practically a million Instagram followers that he was doing simply wonderful.
“Proof of Life…” he captioned the submit, which included a video of him dancing. “Earlier than the insanity of yesterday, I awoke, bought in my Tundra, drove to Planet Health, and started working.”
He added, “The remainder of the day was eventful, however the journey continues. My peace is with God, and my humility comes from inside. I’ll proceed to construct myself so the world can by no means strip me of what’s actual.”
Clark even opened up in regards to the information on his X account, writing, “Sending prayers and like to all these laid off in the present day by ESPN. So lots of you have got poured your life into that firm, & I understand how you’re feeling proper now. My hope is as this door closes one other opens for you all. God bless!”
Cam Newton Had To Say Goodbye To ESPN, Too!
Along with Clark, former Carolina Panthers participant Cam Newton needed to say goodbye to his position with the community, too!
Newton addressed his state of affairs on an episode of his “4th&1” podcast, saying he was remaining inspired all through the transition. Whereas acknowledging the frustration of being laid off, he expressed gratitude for his time at ESPN and mentioned he was trying ahead to no matter alternatives come subsequent.
“It’s unlucky what occurred to me, some would assume, however I’m good,” he mentioned. “‘4th&1’ ain’t going nowhere. ‘Funky Friday’ ain’t going nowhere,” referring to his personal podcasts.
Newton defined that not solely did he get pleasure from his time at ESPN, however he additionally discovered it informative.
“What I’ve realized, it was an internship virtually. The manufacturing worth. They’re the main sports activities supply for a motive. They’ve the main expertise not solely in entrance of the digital camera, however behind the scenes that be sure that whether or not it’s a stay present or whether or not it’s in studio that they’re all the time on the slicing fringe of subjects and knowledge and likewise the way it’s rolled out,” he added.
Followers Are Reacting To Tebow’s New Contract With ESPN
Social media customers are divided over the information of Tebow’s contract extension with ESPN, with reactions cut up down the center.
Some consider it needed to do with race, contemplating one individual mentioned they have been “drained” of Black folks “eager to be in [white] areas,” whereas one other mentioned, “LOL. Doing it proper in entrance of your faces and y’all gon nonetheless assist.”
One other consumer prompt Black entertainers, together with Tyler Perry and Oprah, begin their very own sports activities community.
Others, in the meantime, mentioned Clark and Newton’s departures have been simply a part of enterprise. “You narrow your excessive payroll employees and produce somebody youthful, cheaper and with a smaller finances. We’ve seen this again and again,” they wrote.
One other added, “They do that usually. As soon as your staff’ pay will get actually inflated, you eliminate them and rent cheaper expertise. I personally haven’t watched ESPN in years so it doesn’t matter to me. Nevertheless I do perceive enterprise.”
