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Tim Tebow — 'not good enough' — cut by Eagles

 
Tim Tebow was competing for the job as the Eagles’ No. 3 quarterback in the preseason.
Tim Tebow was competing for the job as the Eagles’ No. 3 quarterback in the preseason.
Published Sept. 6, 2015

Tim Tebow is the biggest name among NFL cuts for the second time in three years.

Tebow had seemingly won the Eagles' No. 3 quarterback job when Philadelphia traded Matt Barkley to the Cardinals on Friday. But coach Chip Kelly on Saturday cut Tebow, who showed improved accuracy since his first stint in the NFL.

"We felt Tim has progressed, but we didn't feel he was good enough to be the (No.) 3 right now," Kelly said.

Tebow, the 2007 Heisman Trophy winner at Florida, last played in a regular season game in 2012 with the Jets, who traded for him with the Broncos a day after Peyton Manning went to Denver. The Patriots cut Tebow in 2013 when he failed to win a job as Tom Brady's backup, and Tebow spent last year in the broadcast booth.

Tebow finished the preseason 21-of-36 for 286 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. He also ran for 82 yards and a score.

"He really improved his throwing motion from when he was throwing a couple of years ago," Kelly said. "He worked extremely hard on it and deserves a lot of credit for that. I think he just needs to get more playing time. He needs to get out there and get actual reps because I think he has done a ton on his own from an individual basis, but it's about playing the game."

Kelly said he wants three quarterbacks on the team. The Eagles will sign one quarterback for the active roster or the practice squad in the coming days.

Tebow was among more than 700 players cut across the NFL on Saturday as teams trimmed their rosters to the maximum 53.

Other quarterbacks jettisoned were veterans Matt Cassel (Buffalo), former Gator Rex Grossman (Falcons), former Seminole Christian Ponder (Raiders) and Matt Flynn, who hopes to return to the Jets after Week 1, when his salary wouldn't be guaranteed.

Other notable cuts:

• Bengals defensive tackle Devon Still, whose daughter Leah's cancer went into remission in the spring.

• Running back Jonas Gray, who never got out of Patriots coach Bill Belichick's dog house after oversleeping and missing practice a few days after his 199-yard rushing performance against the Colts last season.

• Former Gators kicker Caleb Sturgis, released by the Dolphins as they handed the job to rookie Andrew Franks.

Among the prominent keeps.

• Former Australian rugby league star Jarryd Hayne made the 49ers' roster. The 27-year-old rookie return man made good on his goal nearly a year after leaving his old sport to chase his NFL dream in a quest that has captivated his homeland 7,000 miles away. "That's the first time I've been nervous in a while," he said. "Big relief."

• Ex-Raiders quarterback Terrelle Pryor made the Browns' roster as a wide receiver despite catching zero passes in the preseason.

Concussion doctor resigns: The independent neurological consultant who reversed course on Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III's post-concussion playing status has resigned and been replaced as the team's concussion doctor. Robert Kurtzke left the consultant program operated jointly by the league and the players union, NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said. Kurtzke will stay on to continue to monitor Griffin's status and determine when he can be cleared to play, McCarthy said.

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Last month, Griffin missed Washington's exhibition game against the Ravens because of a concussion suffered in the previous game. Two days before the Aug. 29 game, the Redskins announced Griffin had been cleared by a doctor to play. About 24 hours before kickoff, they changed direction and said Griffin would be held out of the game.