Tim Tebow will not let his NFL dream die. Don't believe us?
Ask his former coach.
"He wants another shot at playing," Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer said at his press conference on Thursday. "I hope he gets it. If not, I think he's going to continue what he's doing (on ESPN)."
Tebow was in Columbus as part of his analyst duties for ESPN ahead of the Buckeyes' trip to the College Football Playoff and a Sugar Bowl date with Alabama next month. After taking care of their on-air responsibilities, Meyer managed to coax the Heisman Trophy winner into speaking to Ohio State players about their upcoming game for a few minutes as well.
The message, as one would expect from Tebow, was quite positive and one Meyer hopes will resonate with his current group as the Buckeyes prepare to face old foe Nick Saban and his Crimson Tide.
"I love Tim. Tim's a two-time national champion. Two players (of mine) have that same bizarre work ethic and toughness, it's John Simon and Tim," Meyer added. "The players know that it's different. I had very few jerseys hanging in my office, and his is one of them because of the relentless pursuit of excellence and the way he treats people. It was a great, great conversation with our players. Kind of on the spot."
Tebow was drafted in the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos and spent two seasons with the team, but was unable to duplicate the rousing success he had with Meyer at Florida. The dual-threat quarterback was traded to the New York Jets in 2012 and spent time during the 2013 preseason with the New England Patriots until he was cut prior to the start of the season.
Television has been Tebow's primary focus since leaving the league, but he has consistently maintained that he is looking for another shot at the NFL. Though there have been consistent rumors of him trying out for various organizations, the dream of the quarterback in an NFL uniform has remained elusive.
Tebow, however, won't take no for an answer based on what Meyer said Thursday.
You can follow Bryan Fischer on Twitter at @BryanDFischer.