The 29-year-old signed a minor league contract and will participate in the Mets’ instructional league in Port St. Lucie, Florida.
Tebow, a former Heisman Trophy winner and first round draft pick for the Denver Broncos, played three largely disappointing seasons in the NFL, first with the Broncos and then with the New York Jets. He was cut by the Philadelphia Eagles in training camp last year without appearing in a regular season game.
Terms of Tebow’s contract with the Mets were not disclosed.
He announced last month he was pursuing a career in professional baseball. A public workout he conducted last week received mixed reviews from scouts: Tebow last played organized baseball in 2005 as a junior Nease High School in Florida, where he was an all-state player and hit .494.
When asked about the prospect of signing Tebow last month, Mets General Sandy Alderson quipped, “Are you insinuating we need a Hail Mary at this point,” according to NJ.com. He added, “That’s not something we’ve given a lot of thought to. I’d say it’s probably unlikely, but that’s without any real information on his baseball background. So we’ll keep an open mind.”
The athlete currently works as an on-air sports analyst for the SEC Network, and will continue in that role during his training. He will also continue working with his charity, the Tim Tebow, which does everything from granting wishes for sick children to organizing proms for people with special needs.
After being cut by the Eagles, Tebow told PEOPLE, “Disappointments come, but you can’t dwell on them. You have to look for the next thing that God would have you to do.”
With reporting by STEVE HELLING
