How do you dim the spotlight from the roughly 100 layoffs you just conducted, the pink slips handed out to some talent who has worked for you for decades, the cord-cutting crisis hitting you harder and quicker than most thought? Well, you need a Tim Tebow miracle.

ESPN, in trying to shift the story of Bristol bloodshed to a narrative focusing on the survivors, is hollering out each bit of extension news, highlighted Monday by the news release that Tebow and the Worldwide Leader reached a multiyear contract extension.

Announcing that the “sports icon” will stay on as a college football analyst on SEC Network followed the string of public-relations proclamations that all is well with ESPN. The network has announced extensions for Eduardo Perez, Will Cain, Adam Amin, Julie Foudy and Don Van Natta Jr. in the past week, public celebrations for extensions that are abnormal for ESPN to disperse.

On April 26, the mass layoffs began, and with them, theories of ESPN’s demise. The sports TV Goliath, though, is heavily promoting the personalities it is locking up, spinning the layoffs as more a trimming of fat than a network cutting a massive amount of experience and talent.

In Tebow’s case, that football (and baseball) talent will stay on board, and the Mets don’t have to worry: The job will continue to be in addition to, instead of a replacement for, his spot on the Class-A Columbia Fireflies.

“Tim brings a wealth of knowledge and passion to his analysis of college football and surprised many fans with his strong opinions and engaging presence on SEC Nation,” said Stephanie Druley, ESPN senior vice president, event and studio production. “His unique experiences within the SEC and his broad national fan base are huge assets to SEC Nation and ESPN’s larger CFP coverage.”

As the company ax was swinging, ESPN reportedly adopted the euphemism “right-sizing” to justify the reporters who would be shown the door. With Tebow — and with an announcement ESPN likely can’t wait to make, in poaching Adrian Wojnarowski from Yahoo Sports to take over NBA coverage — it is trying to make the case that it is rethinking its employees and not simply throwing them away.