Tebow says he was taking batting practice when Chip Kelly called about him joining Eagles in '15

Tim Tebow says he was playing baseball and eyeing a career on the diamond when Chip Kelly invited him to join the Eagles in 2015.

Tim Tebow was playing baseball in Florida when Chip Kelly called him in 2015 to discuss coming to Philadelphia, the quarterback told Tim Rohan of the MMQB.

Tebow, who is currently playing baseball in the New York Mets organization as an outfielder on the Single-A Columbia Fireflies, joined the Eagles in April 2015 but was released before the start of the 2015 regular season. 

Tebow said he was starting to strongly consider starting a baseball career when he got the call from Kelly. 

"I'm literally in the on-deck circle, and my brother hands me the phone and says, 'It's Chip.'" Tebow said. "I'm thinking [exhales] like really, I just got excited about this. And now he calls, and I'm torn again." 

Skip to the 53-minute mark to listen to Rohan's interview with Tebow. 

Tebow said on the podcast that baseball was always in the back of his mind during his football career. 

The former quarterback later signed with the Mets on Sept. 8, 2016. Tebow hit .194 in 62 at-bats on the Scottsdale Scorpions in the fall. 

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He's currently hitting .156 through 12 games this spring on the Fireflies.