The controversy and outrage over Tim Tebow signing a contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars while Colin Kaepernick remains a free agent continued this week when ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith said the Christian athlete’s resurgence is a product of “white privilege.”
During a segment on “First Take,” Smith debated with Max Kellerman about the return of Tim Tebow, and if it was warranted. According to Smith, Tebow gets an easy ride while black people claw their way to the top.
“Is this not an example of white privilege?” Smith said.
“When George Floyd ultimately was murdered … it wasn’t just about him. It was about the symbolism of what transpired because black people have repeatedly felt I like we have the proverbial knee on tour neck. We constantly have to scratch and claw our way,” he added.
Smith then referred to Tebow as someone of a “different ilk” and a benefactor of great privilege.
“When we see someone of a different ilk, of a different ethnicity, getting opportunities we know we would never get, that’s where the words white privilege come from. … There’s no way to eradicate white privilege without white individuals giving up some of their privilege,” he said.
Though Smith referred to Tebow as a “good dude” who deserves a good life, he still lamented that “blacks do not get these opportunities.”
Over at Fox Sports, Shannon Sharpe of “The Undisputed” called Tebow “arrogant” for resurrecting his football career.
“Just think about how arrogant a person must be to play a professional sport in which you’re really not that good at, and all the other teams, the 30-plus other teams [say ‘Nah, bruh,] we saw what ya had. You’re not good.’ You say, ‘You know what? I might not be good enough to play this sport, but I’m great enough to go play another professional sport, even if I haven’t picked up a bat in 12 years’ … ‘I’m arrogant enough to just think, ‘I’m gonna go back to the sport that jettisoned me and I’m gonna switch positions. I haven’t played in the league in six years, haven’t taken an offensive snap in nine years, but I’m just that good.’ Tim Tebow cain’t play no tight end. And he’s gonna rub guys the wrong way,” said Sharpe.
While progressives may be feeling tremendous hate for Tim Tebow, his fans are certainly excited about his return to football. As The Daily Wire reported, his jersey has become a best-seller.
“After the Jacksonville Jaguars announced the signing of former quarterback Tim Tebow to a one-year deal on Thursday, the top five selling items at NFLShop.com were all Tebow’s No. 85 Jaguars jerseys on Friday,” said the report. “According to Action Network, Tebow is the only player to have had a best selling jersey — for at least one day — in five different uniforms. That’s right. The quarterback turned tight end, who last appeared in an NFL regular season game in 2012, has the most popular jersey in the NFL one day after entering into an NFL contract.”
Related: TEBOWMANIA: Top 5 Selling Jerseys On NFL Website ALL Belong To Tim Tebow Following Comeback
Related: Tim Tebow Is Back In The NFL Because He Did What Colin Kaepernick Refuses To Do