Tim Tebow Released After New York Jets Draft QB Geno Smith In Second Round of NFL Draft; Rex Ryan Wishes Him Luck

The New York Jets released quarterback, Tim Tebow, the New York Post first reported this morning. The news that Tim Tebow was released came on the same day Jets starting quarterback, Mark Sanchez, and the rest of the Jets players, showed up at Florham Park, New Jersey for the first day of team workouts. Despite Sanchez's struggles last season, Tebow's release from the Jets wasn't a surprise to many, as the Jets were already headed in a different direction based on their picks in this past weekend's draft. 

The New York Jets selected quarterback, Geno Smith, out of West Virginia, in the second round of the draft, despite many observers belief that Smith would get selected within the top 10 of the first round. Smith is said to have pondered going home after he wasn't selected on the first day, but now he's happy and looking forward to competing with Sanchez for the number 1 quarterback position on the team, and "My goal is to be a franchise quarterback. But as of now, there's lots of work to do."

Despite the Jets starter, Sanchez, struggling mightily last season, Tim Tebow only ended up playing a total of 72 snaps for the Jets before being released today. 

Jets coach, Rex Ryan, told ESPN New York "We have a great deal of respect for Tim Tebow. Unfortunately, things did not work out the way we all had hoped.  Tim is an extremely hard worker, evident by the shape he came back in this offseason. We wish him the best moving forward."

The former Heisman Trophy winning Tebow led Florida to two national championships while with the Gators for four years.He was drafted by the Denver Broncos with the 25th pick in the 2010 NFL Draft. 

Tebow didn't see much time behind center in his rookie campaign, but after starter, Kyle Orton, started the 2011 season 1-4, Tebow took over as the Broncos starter. He would finish the year 7-4 as the Broncos starting quarterback, leading them to a surprising 29-23 playoff victory over the heavily favored Pittsburgh Steelers in the first round of the 2011 NFL playoffs. The Broncos and Tebow lost to the New England Patriots in the next round. 

The next season, the Broncos signed Peyton Manning as their starting quarterback and traded Tebow (along with a Broncos seventh round pick) to the New York Jets in exchange for their fourth and sixth round picks. 

Tebow was released by the Jets today after having only thrown the ball eight passes and rushing 32 times in his lone year in New York.

Tebow now becomes a free agent.