Skip to main content
Come Fan with UsWednesday, July 8, 2026

Lions GM: ‘Never say never’ about Tim Tebow addition

Martin Mayhew is comfortable with the four quarterbacks he has on roster, but wouldn’t rule out the addition of a certain former-Heisman Trophy winner.

Jim Rogash

Several NFL general managers have been definitive about their team's intention to pass on the potential addition of quarterback Tim Tebow, but Lions general manager Martin Mayhew wasn't as committal on Monday during a talk with 97.1-FM The Ticket, although he did cast doubt on the idea.

“I feel good about our quarterbacks right now,” Mayhew said. “We’ve got four on our roster and we typically go with four. But I’m the kind of guy who never says never.”

The former-Heisman Trophy winning quarterback was released by the New York Jets on Monday leading to a flurry of chatter about the next landing spot for Tebow; however, most of the talk has been about avoiding the quarterback. In fact, only the Legends Football League (formerly known as the Lingerie Football League) has been interested in Tebow's services.

In Detroit, the Lions have an established starter in Matt Stafford, who finished the 2012 season with 4,967 yards passing, 20 touchdowns and 17 interceptions. The depth behind Stafford is thin, though, and features several untested players. Shaun Hill, 33, has been a career backup, while both Kellen Moore and new addition, Alex Carder, went undrafted and have yet to see an NFL field.

In three seasons in the NFL, Tebow has completed 47.9 percent of his passes, 17 touchdowns and nine interceptions, while compiling an 8-6 record as a starter.

More from SB Nation:

2014 NFL mock draft: Bridgewater, Clowney lead the way

The NFL draft’s winners and losers

Jets release Tim Tebow

Finding every team’s A+ draft pick

The 10 best UDFA signings

Undrafted free agent tracker

See More:

More in NFL

NFL
Why NFL teams want super-safeties with Nick Emmanwori’s versatilityWhy NFL teams want super-safeties with Nick Emmanwori’s versatility
NFL

Caleb Downs, Dillon Thieneman, and Emmanuel McNeil-Warren are the NFL’s three new do-it-all safeties. Here’s why they’re so important to the league right now.

By Doug Farrar
From SBNationExternal Link
Who wins the NFC North?Who wins the NFC North?
From SBNationExternal Link
By Mark Schofield
NFL
Brendan Sorsby gets more bad news, this time from the CFLBrendan Sorsby gets more bad news, this time from the CFL
NFL

Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby has hit another hurdle on his road to the NFL

By Mark Schofield
NFL
NFL breakout candidates at every position in 2026NFL breakout candidates at every position in 2026
NFL

A team of NFL players poised to have breakout campaigns in 2026.

By Jarrett Bailey
NFL
Lions CB Terrion Arnold faces potential life in prison for alleged kidnappingLions CB Terrion Arnold faces potential life in prison for alleged kidnapping
NFL

The Detroit Lions defender faces a potential sentence of life in prison.

By James Dator
NFL
Brendan Sorsby stuck as NFL announces NO Supplemental Draft in 2026Brendan Sorsby stuck as NFL announces NO Supplemental Draft in 2026
NFL

Another setback for the QB.

By James Dator