In retrospect, perhaps Tim Tebow should have tried to recruit Jeff Demps to the New York Jets after all.
The Olympic sprinter, who captured a silver medal in London last week with the U.S. men's 4 x 100-meter relay team, will sign with the New England Patriots, according to a report on Twitter from Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network.
"Breaking: Olympic sprinter Jeff Demps will sign a contract to play for the #Patriots, per one of his agents, Nohemy Baltodano," Rapoport posted to his account (@RapSheet). "Wow!"
Demps played two years alongside Tebow as a running back at the University of Florida, racked up nearly 3600 all-purpose yards in his four-year career in Gainesville, and was a key contributor to Florida's 2008 national championship. He went undrafted in April's NFL Draft after telling teams that he planned to focus on his track career. After the U.S. took silver behind Jamaica in London, Demps filed papers with the NFL to embark on a pro football career.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Detroit Lions and New York Jets had all been linked to Demps, with Tebow saying that he would not try to recruit his former teammate, but that he would speak to him as a friend. Perhaps he's regretting that stance now that Demps is sprinting off to join Tebow's AFC East rivals.
The Patriots' next preseason game is Monday night at Gilette Stadium, to be broadcast on ESPN.
