Tim Tebow: Not the Typical Athlete

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Tim Tebow is expected to make a full recovery, without surgery, from rib, lung and chest injuries he sustained in the Denver Broncos’ loss at New England in an AFC divisional playoff game last weekend.


ESPN first reported Wednesday that Tebow got hurt on a third-quarter tackle during Denver’s 45-10 loss, then had trouble sleeping because of the pain and underwent an MRI on his chest Monday.


Team spokesman Patrick Smyth said that while he couldn’t confirm the exact extent or nature of the injuries due to team policy, he acknowledged that Tebow finished the game in considerable pain.


Backup Brady Quinn got ready after Tebow was hit by Vince Wilfork and Rob Ninkovich, but Tebow stayed in.


As a mother of two boys finding their way in the world having to balance their faith with the many challenges in becoming young men, I have to say that I am thrilled to see a role model that I don’t have to say “but his judgment was lacking when he…”.


It’s wonderful to see someone using their talent in a positive way. He is involved in numerous outreach programs. The Tim Tebow Foundation’s mission is “to bring faith, hope and love to those needing a brighter day in their darkest hour of need” and before each game he spends time with children/families dealing with a health crisis.


He has displayed good sportsmanship and determination being labeled the underdog in the NFL and even finished a game in high school with a broken leg.


Too many athletes get caught up in a world of excess with no good values or faith to guide their lives or decisions they make. We’ve heard story after story of famous athletes who cheat, are involved in one sex scandal after another, are caught under the influence of drugs and alcohol maybe even endangering others while driving in that condition and too many other offenses to name them all. Why are they celebrated? Why is their behavior accepted?


While there certainly are lessons to be learned from these bad decisions I hope my boys learn more from Tebow’s good decisions.


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Tim Tebow played against Patriots

Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow played through considerable pain in Saturday night's AFC divisional playoff game against New England.


At the start of the third quarter, Tebow tore cartilage on his first rib where it attaches to his sternum, bruised his lung and had fluid buildup in his pleural cavity, according to an NFL source.


The injuries came as the result of a hit in the pocket when Tebow was pressured after throwing a pass. Even so, he was determined to finish the game with his teammates regardless of the score.


The Patriots defeated the Broncos 45-10.


Team spokesman Patrick Smyth said that while he couldn't confirm the exact extent or nature of the injuries due to team policy, he acknowledged that Tebow finished the game in considerable pain.


Because of the severe pain, Tebow had trouble sleeping over the weekend, then had an MRI on his chest Monday to determine the extent of the damage. He has been undergoing rehab throughout this week.


Even with the injuries, it is believed Tebow will begin his offseason training program according to schedule.


Broncos chief of football operations John Elway proclaimed Tebow the incumbent at a season-ending news conference Monday, but Tebow said Tuesday that he's not treating his offseason any differently.


An NFL source told ESPN that Tebow suffered an injury to his chest that tore a rib and caused fluid buildup in his pleural cavity - the area of the torso below the lungs.


Tebow was reportedly in so much pain that he had trouble sleeping over the weekend. He had an MRI on his chest Monday.


Team spokesman Patrick Smyth said that while he couldn't confirm the exact extent or nature of the injuries due to team policy, he acknowledged that Tebow finished the game in considerable pain.


Backup Brady Quinn got ready after Tebow was hit by Vince Wilfork and Rob Ninkovich, but Tebow stayed in.


The Broncos eventually lost to the Patriots 45-10.


The injuries aren't expected to interfere with Tebow's offseason training program.


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Tim Tebow led Broncos’ franchise revival

As the Broncos move into the offseason, John Elway will erase his in-season boundaries between front office executive and quarterback expert when it comes to Tim Tebow.


"I'm going to stand up there from the balcony and yell at him," Elway joked Monday.


Elway plans to be on the field with Tebow as often as NFL rules allow this spring and summer.


Elway was unable to spend any time with Tebow last offseason because of the NFL lockout. Now Tebow has 13 more starts in his career, and Elway has a much better gauge on what he thinks Tebow needs to improve heading into next season.


The focus will not be on the mechanics of Tebow's release, but on improving the young quarterback's footwork, timing and ability to read defenses.


"Your feet and your time clock—to be able to tie those things together, those will be the things we work on and there will be some film study too as far as different reads and where he's looking on different plays," Elway said. "He's going to be more comfortable having worked with this offense now in his second year, and he's going to be more natural with the reads and the things that he sees when he drops back."


The Broncos' voluntary offseason program for Tebow and his teammates under contract can't begin until late April, after which Tebow will be able to spend up to four hours a day, four days a week working with the coaching staff at Dove Valley team headquarters.


Rookie report. Coach John Fox said he was happy that Denver's 2011 draft class produced three starters. And he is optimistic that more of this season's rookies will contribute quickly.


Still, the season was fascinating. The Broncos provided heart-pounding drama, winning four overtime games. They were sometimes brilliant, as in the victory over the Steelers, and sometimes painful to watch, as in the regular-season finale against the Chiefs.


This extreme inconsistency must end if the Broncos want to continue to climb. Tebow knows this. He led two Florida teams to national championships. He knows how big winners operate.


"Absolutely," he said about improving, "throughout the season, throughout games, you definitely would love to be more consistent. You look at great teams and usually they are. You have a few lows, a few highs, but for the most part they stay consistent."


There’s plenty of reason for optimism. Tebow is one of America’s best-known residents, right up there with President Obama and Jennifer Aniston, but he’s not the Broncos best hope for the future.


I don’t believe the day ever will arrive when we describe Tebow as the NFL’s best quarterback, but we someday might call Demaryius Thomas the NFL’s best receiver and Von Miller the NFL’s best linebacker.


Let me go ahead and predict the Broncos will repeat as AFC West champions. This is not a bold prediction. The Raiders are still the Raiders, mangy and confused and doomed to failure evermore, and Norv Turner, the Prince of Mediocrity, still coaches the Chargers, and Kyle Orton could be the starting quarterback in Kansas City. Winning the West is similar to being the smartest member of the Three Stooges.


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Tim Tebow and Clifton Woman Form Unlikely Friendship

ENGLEWOOD, Colorado — The debate over Tim Tebow’s worthiness as an NFL quarterback will undeniably continue in the offseason.


What’s not in doubt is his status as the Denver Broncos’ starter.


The team sought to curb the circus that’s sure to surround Tebow over the next several months by declaring him the incumbent at a season-ending news conference on Monday.


“Well, I think Tim’s earned the right to be the starting quarterback going into training camp,” Broncos boss John Elway declared at the beginning of a 40-minute news conference in which 24 of the 47 questions were about Tebow.


“I think he made some good strides this year,” Elway said. “He obviously played very well against Pittsburgh and played very well in a lot of football games.


On the chance that they could see Tebow before the 2009 College Football Awards, Kelly and her dad, Jim, an attorney, staked out a spot at the ESPN zone restaurant. They were hoping to catch a glimpse of Tebow as he walked by. They chatted up a few of the restaurant employees and Kelly vivaciously told them of her hope to meet Tebow, Jim said.


Tebow was late, but eventually walked through the restaurant and waved to the crowd before disappearing into a private banquet room.


“Well, I thought, that’s it,” Jim said. “We got a wave from Timmy and I thought that was the end of it. Then, somebody came to our table and asked if we wanted to meet Timmy.”


Stunned, they were whisked into a private affair. Kelly was seated at Tebow’s side and they chatted during the entire dinner. The rest of the Faughnan family was seated nearby. To this day, nobody can really explain how or why Tebow plucked the young Clifton woman from the crowd. Kelly certainly wanted to meet him, but the family had no connections that would normally make it happen.


“It’s just his faith,” Kelly said. “We are God-friends.”


After the dinner, Tebow had another surprise in store, Kelly remembered.


“We are just sitting there and he said, ‘what are you doing tomorrow night. Why don’t you come to the awards dinner as my date,’” Kelly said. “I was shocked. I said yes. I felt like Cinderella.”


Unprepared for a formal dinner, the family had brought flip-flops and shorts for a visit to Disney World. They spent the next day “power shopping,” and getting their hair done, said Kelly’s mom, Janet.


Since then, they have stayed in touch, exchanging messages and gifts. Kelly sent the quarterback a box of nutrition bars and he sent her an engraved Bible for Christmas. The family has also attended two games, including one in December in Denver that was arranged by the Tim Tebow Foundation.


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Tim Tebow has little to do with football

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Tim Tebow couldn’t beat the New England Patriots in Foxboro, but he didn’t do anything differently after the game.
“Whether I’m the hero or the goat, I still honor the Lord,” said Tebow after the loss.


At the Basketball Hall of Fame church-goers and sports fans had some interesting perspectives about the controversial quarterback.


“Any parent I think would be proud to let their child look up to him as opposed to a lot of the other players on the field,” said Jami Gorneault.


Gorneault attends service at NewDay church in the Basketball Hall of Fame. She and other members said Tim Tebow brought courage to the football field that they haven’t seen.


“I can’t help to root for Tim Tebow,” said Andrew Charko — a soon to be Pastor at NewDay. “He wears his faith on his sleeve, he’s bold about what he believes in and he’s a good guy from what we can see about him.”


Tebow’s brought a lot of attention towards Christianity in recent months, and possibly even brought some people back to their local churches.


There is the legion of believers who love his Christian values, put off by so many athletes absorbed by their own egos.


There is the legion of non-believers who hate his Christian values, put off by an athlete they feel is telling them that his path is the only one to be followed.


There is the legion of fans and observers who love that he is turning the stodgy NFL upside down with his quirky throwing motion and unorthodox way of winning games.


There is the legion of fans and observers who hate his quirky throwing motion, and feel that Tebow's struggles against the Patriots will only mushroom next season, and that John Elway, John Fox and all the others in positions of power in Denver will kindly ask Tebow to step away from the huddle.


We shall see. That is a conversation moving forward, and one that frankly, probably won't consume Tebow and much as it will everybody else.


He has always been a bit of an accidental celebrity. He keeps the bigger picture in perspective, understanding that he will be judged beyond his ability to throw an out route.


Rick Reilly of ESPN wrote a fabulous piece ("I believe in Tebow") leading up to the Broncos' playoff game against the Pats, documenting Tebow's impact on people who are dying or have suffered serious injuries.


He has hosted them at home and on the road, picks up the tab through his foundation, and gives them far more than a perfunctory photo op and hand shake.


He spent an hour with a nine-year-old boy ravaged by pain after the Broncos beat Chicago during the regular season. Closer to home, Tebow recently spent 10 minutes with Blake Appleton of Lake Wales. It will remain one of the most cherished moments of a life cut short.


Pick on Tebow all you want for his problems behind center. Yes, he stunk on Saturday. So did a bunch of his teammates: offensive line, defensive line, anybody trying to cover Rob Gronkowski.


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Tim Tebow's OC in Denver a Dolphins coach candidate

Dolphins plan to interview Denver Broncos offensive coordinator Mike McCoy early this week, according to a league source.


McCoy has been the Broncos offensive coordinator since 2009. Before that, he worked nine years for the Carolina Panthers in several capacities, including receiver coach, quarterback coach and passing game coordinator.


McCoy designed the Broncos' offense to accommodate Tim Tebow's skills this season. The Broncos offense finished 23rd in the league after ranking 13th in 2010. McCoy, 39, was a former college quarterback at Long Beach State and Utah.


The Dolphins also might interview one or more additional candidates, with Saints offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael among others who have been discussed internally.


Meanwhile, Bengals defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer remains a very strong candidate for the job. Zimmer and Dolphins general manager Jeff Ireland worked together in Dallas, and the two have a solid relationship.


With Green Bay losing Sunday, the Dolphins no longer need to wait should they choose to hire, or schedule a second interview, with Packers offensive coordinator Joe Philbin, who also impressed the Dolphins during his meeting with them.


Carmichael is now free to interview after the Saints were eliminated from the playoffs in San Francisco on Saturday.


Carmichael began directing the Saints' offense after head coach and playcaller Sean Payton broke his leg when he was bowled over on the sideline. As the Saints' offense began to soar, Payton kept Carmichael in charge. The result was an offense that broke several records, including Drew Brees overtaking Dan Marino's single-season passing yards mark.


"I'm so proud of Pete," Brees told Jeff Duncan of The Times-Picayune in New Orleans. "To watch the job he has done and watch him progress as the season has gone on. I just know I consider Sean one of the best offensive minds and playcallers there are. To watch Pete now approach that level, I assume that there's a high demand for guys like that."


Pagano has bounced around several college jobs, including two stints at the University of Miami, where he worked as linebackers coach in 1987 and then as secondary coach for Butch Davis from 1995-2000. He rejoined Davis at North Carolina for one season in 2007 before moving on to Baltimore.


It's likely the Dolphins would have to wait to interview Pagano after the Ravens advanced Sunday to the AFC Championship Game.


As for candidates who already have been interviewed, NFL.com's Jason La Confora reported that Zimmer impressed in his interview and may be brought in for a second look. Bowles is a candidate for the Oakland Raiders' job.


Philbin's status is still uncertain, despite him rejoining the Packers on Sunday after the death of his son Michael last week. Michael Philbin was reported missing and later found drowned in a Wisconsin river just days after Joe Philbin interviewed in Miami.


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Next for Tim Tebow, Broncos

Our story begins with the end, with Tim Tebow walking from the interview room into the off-season via a chilly corridor of Gillette Stadium, where 20-year-old Zachary McLeod was waiting with his family. Tebow, the southpaw quarterback with the scruffy beard and smiling eyes, was about to execute the postgame plan a whole lot better than he and the Denver Broncos had performed outside on the field against Tom Brady and New England.


Back in the interview room, Tebow had mentioned McLeod, of Cambridge, Mass., who four years ago sustained a traumatic brain injury in a high school football game that left him mentally disabled, unable to return to school or ever live on his own.


He spoke of spending time with McLeod before Saturday’s game in what has become part of the weekly routine for Tebow wherever he has traveled as part of his foundation’s Wish 15 program.


“Over all, it wasn’t a bad day,” he’d said after a 45-10 playoff drubbing by the Patriots. “It depends on what lens you look through.


Typically, the second-year pro, whose popularity is buttressed by his humanitarian efforts and open declarations of faith, began his postgame address by thanking Jesus.


There's a lot of things we're proud of, even though it's hard to see that now," he said.
The Broncos were overmatched against the Patriots, and Denver's inability to mount a dangerous passing game around Tebow to counter the 363-yard, six-TD passing performance of Tom Brady underscored the most fundamental offseason issue the Broncos must address.
John Elway, the franchise legend and head of football operations, hasn't committed to Tebow for the long run, despite Denver's improbable trek to an AFC West title (won with an 8-8 record) after inserting him as the starter in October.
There is much reflection ahead. It seems unlikely that Denver can win a championship in the offense-heavy NFL by using a college-like running game built around the option. Tebow's development as a passer likely will determine his long-term stock.
"I was really proud of where he started and where he brought this team," Broncos coach John Fox said. "We're a work in progress. … That hasn't changed."
Tebow's teammates seem to believe. Wide receiver Eddie Royal say he believes the confidence and game experience that Tebow gained is something to build on.


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Tim Tebow and Tom Brady face off

Tim Tebow passed for John 3(:)16 yards and helped lead Denver to a playoff upset of the Pittsburgh Steelers. In their post-game analysis of whom to praise for this victory, all of Broncos Nation should include one nonplayer to the list: Tim Tebow’s mom.


Sure, the Broncos southpaw might not be putting up Drew Brees-like statistics, but for a midseason plug-in, second-year player, he’s helped bring a team from spending the postseason looking at its draft board to a team with an overtime playoff victory under its belt. So why has he been under such scrutiny?
Yes, his mechanics are awkward and completion percentage has been low. But I’d say it’s safe to say some of the criticism has to be rooted not just by his play on the field but by an irritation toward his spiritual and perceived


More than 41 million people tuned in last week to watch the Broncos' come-from-behind overtime win against the Pittsburgh Steelers -- nearly twice the number of viewers for the last American Idol finale.
When the Broncos won, it generated more than 9,400 Tweets per second -- more than the killing of Osama bin Laden, the death of Steve Jobs or the Royal Wedding.
And finally, his passing yards 316, which devote fans equated to John 3:16 - 'For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.'
When he came out of last week's game, he began with: 'First and foremost, I want to thank my lord and saviour Jesus Christ.'
In a recent interview with CBS News, he stuck to his humble guns.
'I think number one is, what my mom and dad preached to me when I was a little kid: Just because you may have athletic ability and you may be able to play a sport doesn't make you any more special than anybody else,' Mr Tebow said.
'Doesn't mean God loves you more than anybody else.'
But he's become a divisive figure, as well.
Some non-Christians have objected to his very public displays of religious devotion and argue it has no place on the field in professional sports.
Mr Brady has become a lightning rod for criticism. His extreme success has drawn the jealous ire of fans from the Indianapolis Colts to the New York Jets.
He's been to four Superbowls, won three of them and was named MVP twice.
'I think everybody has a story to tell. Every player who has made it this far has had to overcome some adversity,' Mr Brady told the Associated Press.
'I think everybody has to fight through some things, which really, you can see kind of someone's strength of character and what they're made of when they're faced with adversity.


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Tim Tebow: The man behind the hype

Talk about quarterback Tim Tebow leaves little oxygen in the room to discuss the defense, but Miller and teammates are readying for a rematch with Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and his pulsing offense.


The Broncos’ defense, which couldn’t stop the Patriots in a 41-23 loss last month, cited the athleticism of New England’s record-breaking tight ends, Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez, as the most difficult and dynamic challenge.


It will be the pursuit of Brady, though, that poses the greatest obstacle. Brady gashed the Broncos’ pass defense in their previous meeting.


In the Week 15 showdown in Denver, he completed 23 of 34 passes for 320 yards, two touchdowns and a 117.3 passer rating.


“We know what we can’t do,” Denver cornerback Champ Bailey said. “So now we have to figure out what we have to do to win.”


Denver’s defense is anchored by pass-rushing defensive end Elvis Dumervil (9.5 sacks) and Miller (11.5). They each collected one sack against Pittsburgh in last Sunday’s wild-card victory.


Tebow does not have a girlfriend because he says he is “too busy with football and life and …it’s hard.” He offers no elaboration, deftly and quickly re-routing an interview.


A few minutes later, Tebow, an acknowledged virgin, is asked if he is besieged with women trying to meet him through a variety of social-networking methods.


“Umm, good question,” he says. “I am blessed to have a close-knit (group) around me. I’m not out there doing a lot of things. I guess it is one of the frustrating things where I am (in life). I love meeting and talking with people, socializing and hanging out. But people can read it the wrong way.”


He says he always is “careful about leading girls on.”


“I always want to be very careful about that,” he says. “That is one thing that’s a little frustrating.”


Helping others


Tebow does not allow that frustration to seep out. His unbridled joy and passion is evident when he surrounds himself with young admirers, particularly those suffering with physical limitations who could use an inspirational jolt .


Such was the case last weekend when he met Bailey Knaub, 16, after his foundation provided four tickets and other goodies for her family to attend the Steelers’ game.


The Loveland, Colo., high school student suffers from a rare vascular disorder that has led to more than 70 surgeries the last decade — including the removal of her left lung in 2010.


Less than 15 minutes before kickoff, Tebow finished warming up and approached the girl on the sidelines, telling her, “Bailey, I’ve been looking forward to meeting you.” He gave her a big hug and an autographed football.


“It was very emotional — we haven’t seen her that happy in a long time,” says her mother, Kathy. “You could tell by how he was talking to Bailey that he was not doing this for publicity or any other reason than he likes kids. He is an exceptional guy.


Tags: Tim Tebow typical Athlete, Tim Tebow Patriots, Tim Tebow Broncos, Tebow Clifton Woman, Tebow little with, Tebow OC Dolphins, Tebow Brady face, Tebow Story,  Tebow good mix,  Tebow over NFL

Tim Tebow

Timothy Richard "Tim" Tebow,   born August 14, 1987 is an American football quarterback for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Broncos as the 25th overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft. He played college football at Florida.
Tebow played quarterback for Nease High School in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida and was ranked among the top quarterback prospects in the nation as a high school senior. He ultimately chose to attend the University of Florida. Tebow was a dual threat quarterback, adept at rushing and passing the football. As a college freshman, the Gators' coaches largely used him as a change of pace to the team's more traditional passing quarterback, Chris Leak. Tebow contributed to the Gators' 2006 college football season as a key back-up, helping the team win college football's national championship game for the first time since 1996.
During the 2007 season, Tebow was Florida's starting quarterback and became the first college football player to both rush and pass for 20 or more touchdowns in a single season and the first college sophomore to win the Heisman Trophy.

Tebow at the 2006 U.S. Army All-American Bowl as a high school senior.

Tebow was born in Makati City in the Philippines, the son of Pamela Pemberton Tebow, daughter of a U.S. Army colonel, and Robert Ramsey Tebow, a pastor, who were serving as Christian Baptist missionaries at the time. While pregnant, Pam suffered a life-threatening infection with a pathogenic amoeba. Because of the drugs used to rouse her from a coma and to treat her dysentery, the fetus experienced a severe placental abruption. Doctors had expected a stillbirth and recommended an abortion to protect her life, but she remained undaunted and refused having abortion.
Tebow is the youngest of five children, with sisters Christy and Katie, and brothers Robby and Peter. All of the Tebow children were homeschooled by their mother, who worked to instill the family's Christian beliefs along the way. In 1996, legislation was passed in Florida allowing homeschooled students to compete in local high school sporting events. The law specifies that homeschooled students may participate on the team of the local school in the school district in which they live. The Tebows lived in Jacksonville, Florida, and Tim played linebacker and tight end at the local Trinity Christian Academy for one season. Tebow's preferred position was quarterback, but Trinity football team's offense did not rely on passing the football, so he began to explore his options to play for a new high school. He decided to attend Nease High School, which under head coach Craig Howard was known for having a passing offense. With the rest of his family living on a farm in Duval County, Tim and his mother moved into an apartment in nearby St. Johns County, making him eligible to play for the football team at Nease. His performance soon turned heads and led to a minor controversy regarding the fact that he was a home-schooled student having his choice of school to play for.


On January 7, 2007, Tebow was featured prominently in an ESPN "Outside The Lines" feature on homeschooled athletes seeking equal access to high school athletics in other states. Because a homeschooler's access to public and private school athletic functions vary by state, Tebow and New York Jets defensive end Jason Taylor (who was allowed to play at his local high school in Pennsylvania) argue in favor of extending the right to play for local teams to more states.
Upon becoming the first home-schooled athlete to be nominated for the Heisman Trophy, Tebow remarked, "That's really cool. A lot of times people have this stereotype of homeschoolers as not very athletic – it's like, go win a spelling bee or something like that – it's an honor for me to be the first one to do that."


As one of the most highly recruited quarterback prospects in the nation, Tebow received an athletic scholarship to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, where he played for coach Urban Meyer's Florida Gators football team from 2006 to 2009. From his freshman season in 2006, when he was a backup behind the Gators' career passing yardage leader, Chris Leak, to his Heisman Trophy-winning sophomore season in 2007, to his BCS Championship-winning junior season in 2008, to his 13–1 senior season, Tebow left an indelible legacy on the Florida Gators football program. The Gators coaches selected him as a team captain in 2008 and 2009, and he is the only three-time recipient of the Gators' most valuable player award, having been chosen by his teammates in 2007, 2008 and 2009.




On December 8, 2007, Tebow was awarded the Heisman Trophy, finishing ahead of Arkansas's Darren McFadden, Hawaii's Colt Brennan, and Missouri's Chase Daniel. He was the first underclassman to have ever won the Heisman Trophy. He garnered 462 first place votes and 1957 points, 254 points ahead of runner-up Arkansas running back Darren McFadden. He finished the regular season as the only player in FBS history to rush and pass for at least 20 touchdowns in both categories in the same season. He had 32 passing touchdowns, and 23 rushing touchdowns. Tebow's rushing TD total in the 2007 season is the most recorded for any position in SEC history. The total also set the record for most rushing touchdowns by a quarterback in FBS history. Tebow became the third UF player to win the Heisman Trophy, joining Steve Spurrier and Danny Wuerffel.


Before the 2007 season had even come to a close, Florida coach Urban Meyer stated that he would likely use two quarterbacks during the 2008 season to take some of the workload off of Tebow's shoulders. Tebow led the Gators in rushing in 2007 but also had to play through a bruised shoulder and broken non-throwing hand.
Before the 2008 season even started, Tebow had his name pulled from consideration for the Playboy Preseason All-American team because it conflicted with his Christian beliefs.
On November 1, 2008, playing against the Georgia Bulldogs, Tebow ran for his 37th rushing touchdown, breaking the school record previously held by former Florida running back Emmitt Smith.
Tebow led the Gators to a 12–1 record in 2008. After clinching the Southeastern Conference Eastern Division title, the team played for and won the SEC title in the 2008 SEC Championship Game against the Alabama Crimson Tide. The win secured the #2 ranking in the final BCS standings, which earned the Gators the chance to play the #1 ranked Oklahoma Sooners in the 2009 BCS National Championship Game, which they won 24–14.


Tebow opened the 2009 season continuing a streak of throwing and running for a touchdown in blowout wins over Charleston Southern and Troy. He ran for a touchdown in the third game, a win against Tennessee, but failed to throw for a touchdown for the first time since his freshman season.
Once there, he vomited. He was taken by ambulance to the University of Kentucky Chandler Medical Center. A CT scan showed no bleeding in the brain, with the injury described as a mild concussion. Coach Urban Meyer stayed the night in the hospital with Tebow, who was discharged in the morning.
On October 31, 2009, while playing against the Georgia Bulldogs, Tebow ran for his 50th and 51st rushing touchdowns, breaking the SEC career record previously held by former Georgia running back Herschel Walker. 




In 2010, a new rule for the next NCAA football season, dubbed "The Tebow Rule" by media because it would have affected him, banned messages on eye paint. During his college football career, Tebow frequently wore biblical verses on his eye black. In the 2009 BCS Championship Game, he wore John 3:16 on his eye paint, and as a result, 92 million people searched "John 3:16" on Google during or shortly after the game. Additionally, later, when Tebow switched to another verse, there were 3.43 million searches of "Tim Tebow" and "Proverbs 3:5-6" together. Tebow stated of the searches "It just goes to show you the influence and the platform that you have as a student-athlete and as a quarterback at Florida".


After passing on the 2009 NFL Draft for his senior season at Florida, Tebow went on to enter the 2010 NFL Draft. Despite his college success, Tebow's NFL potential was much debated. According to former Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Jon Gruden, he could "revolutionize" the pro game. Says Gruden: "Tim Tebow is 250 pounds, and he's the strongest human being that's ever played the position. He can throw well enough at any level." Former Indianapolis Colts coach Tony Dungy said he would pick Tebow with a top 10 pick, and would take him over any quarterback in the 2010 draft. On the other hand, NFL analyst Mel Kiper, Jr. believes Tebow does not have the intangibles to play quarterback in the NFL. "I don't think he can be a fulltime quarterback. I don't think he can be the quarterback of the future for you, but I do think in the third round, maybe the second round, he'll be the same as Pat White", said Kiper.
Tebow was particularly mentioned as a potential third round pick of the Jacksonville Jaguars, his hometown team. Some, including Florida governor Charlie Crist, believe that Tebow could be the remedy for dwindling Jaguars ticket sales at EverBank Field. 


Tebow was drafted by the Denver Broncos 25th overall in the 2010 NFL Draft. The Broncos received the pick from the Baltimore Ravens for draft picks in the second, third and fourth rounds of the 2010 NFL Draft. Broncos head coach Josh McDaniels said about his two first-round selections, which included Tebow, "We want players who are tough, smart, have great character, love football and are passionate about coming here and helping the Broncos win a championship. I think both players fit that role, and I think that's something that we're looking for in all of our players. What we're trying to build here is team chemistry and a team that cares about winning and winning a championship, and that's it." He also added specifically about Tebow, "He has all the traits you look for. It's a good pick.


ESPN's Bill Williamson said, "Josh McDaniels' legacy is Tim Tebow.
When asked how Tebow will be used, McDaniels commented that Tebow probably won't start at QB as a rookie; although, he said he'll "play when he's ready." He also said that there could be some packages custom-made for Tebow right away and indicated that he could initially contribute to Denver's variation of the wildcat formation, called the wild horse formation.
The Denver Post columnist Woody Paige praised the pick, saying "Tim Tremendous may be high risk, but he will be a Mile High Reward...Tebow has become the most celebrated fourth-string rookie quarterback in NFL history, the most controversial quarterback pick by the Broncos since Tommy Maddox was chosen in exactly the same spot in the first round in 1992, the most decorated player and the most determined quarterback, and the most puzzling dichotomy, in the entire draft.


Tebow appeared on the September 2008 cover of Men's Fitness magazine.
On April 8, 2010, Tebow was announced as the cover athlete for all three game platforms of the video game NCAA Football 11.
Tebow is a spokesperson for Nike, Jockey International and FRS Health Energy.
Tebow was the first quarterback featured in ESPN's "Year of the Quarterback" series in 2011. The documentary, entitled "Tim Tebow: Everything in Between," followed him from the 2010 Sugar Bowl to the 2010 NFL Draft. It premiered on January 6, 2011.


A nationwide controversy surrounded Tebow's decision to appear in an ad funded by the socially conservative organization Focus on the Family that was broadcast during Super Bowl XLIV on CBS. There were two 30-second commercials, which included Tebow's personal story as part of an overall pro-life stance. The abortion issue was not specifically mentioned in the ad. Pro-choice groups condemned the ad, while pro-life groups rallied around Tebow.


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Tim Tebow Story is Straight Out of a Movie Plot

Imagine a quarterback, call him Tim Tebow, though that name sounds like it belongs in the boys’ fiction aisle, and assume he ranks in the top half of the NFL in passer rating. Imagine he also rushes for 1,000 yards with an average gain per carry that equals the best starting running back in the league (5.5).


Also, imagine he leads the NFL in best interception percentage (1.0), and leads it by a wide margin. He throws a third as many interceptions per attempt as average. Because he runs often, he passes less, so he throws only one-fourth as many interceptions a game as the NFL average. He’s the anti-turnover machine.


Next, imagine that he also weighs 236 pounds, evades tacklers, but relishes contact. These multiple skills allow him to run the option whenever he wants, not just as a trick play. His team leads the NFL in rushing yardage by a huge margin, approaching 160 yards per game while others hope for 100.


Of course we don’t need imagination. Tebow walks among us. His passer rating (83.9) is above the NFL average (82.1) and better than Michael Vick’s career mark (80.0). His 480 yards rushing in eight starts is a pace for 960 yards in a year. Vick had more than 902 yards only once.


By accident, Tebow’s odd skill set exploits current NFL trends. Spread pass offenses beget smaller, quicker defenders and four to six defensive backs that average 200 pounds a man. The Denver Broncos brute is often as big or bigger than eight of the men trying to tackle him. He tromps ’em.


Neither the current head coach, John Fox, or the Vice President of football operations, John Elway, were part of the team when Tebow was drafted. Tebow was Josh McDaniels's quarterback and he's no longer a part of the organization. It's clear that neither of them wants Tebow now either.


Whenever reporters ask Fox about Tebow all he can muster is to say, "he's a nice kid." Really? That's the best support you can give to the starting quarterback of your team? Most places in the NFL a coach will defend their quarterback to the very end, even if they don't mean it. In Washington Mike Shanahan keeps talking about Rex Grossman like he's Joe Montana ready to lead them to the Super Bowl and John Beck is the next Steve Young waiting in the wings.


Fox can't say anything good about Tebow? How about he's a hard worker? How about he's a great teammate? How about he's not a great passer but he makes smart decisions and doesn't turn the ball over? How about he win's every place he has ever played in his football career? To make it worse Fox refers to Tebow as "kid'. Sure, Tebow is technically still very young, but to call him a kid is like to dispatch him as an inferior player in the league. Everybody knows NFL players take pride in being manly men, but Tebow? Oh, he's just a kid.


Then there's John Elway, the greatest player in history of the Denver Broncos. Possibly the greatest NFL player of all-time. Elway is here to save the franchise and take them back to the glory land like he did as a player. Obviously Elway, being one of the best quarterbacks ever, wants his own quarterback. Elway didn't want Tebow, Tebow was thrust upon him. It's clear who Elway really wants as his quarterback, Andrew Luck.


Luck is believed to be one of the best quarterback prospects to come down the pike since at least Peyton Manning. As a nice cherry on top Luck plays at Stanford University, Elway's alma mater. There's just one problem. Luck will go first overall in the NFL Draft so the only way to get that pick is to suck really bad. That's when Elway and Fox suddenly turn into the owner of the Cleveland Indians. "I know how we'll lose enough games to get the number one pick. We'll bench our starting quarterback and throw this awful quarterback Tebow in there." There's just one problem. Tebow keeps winning.


When Tebow first got the start it was clear that Fox and Elway had no business trying to make it work. Tebow would get to throw the ball five times or less per half and the offense didn't have a system in place for him yet. Unfortunately for Fox and Elway the Tebow kept winning and Fox had to begrudgingly come up with an offense for Tebow to save face.


Everybody in the league, everybody who watches the league and everybody who covers the league knows it's true. Every time Tebow scores or the Broncos win another game the camera immediately switches to Elway for a reaction shot. Every time Elway standing there clapping and forcing a grin but everybody can tell, he hates Tebow. Tebow is ruining his plan. Because of Tebow the Broncos are now 7-5 and there is no chance of them getting Elway's golden boy Andrew Luck.


Tebow just keeps winning. He currently has the Broncos tied for first in the AFC West, a very winnable division. If Tebow and the Broncos sneak into the playoffs it will just like the Indians in "Major League" with Elway cursing in luxury box that his team just won. I just hope that Tebow's motivation for winning all these games is not a cardboard cut-out of Elway in which a piece of clothing is removed for each win.


Tags: Tim Tebow typical Athlete, Tim Tebow Patriots, Tim Tebow Broncos, Tebow Clifton Woman, Tebow little with, Tebow OC Dolphins, Tebow Brady face, Tebow the hype,  Tebow good mix,  Tebow over NFL

Tim Tebow, sports politics, not good mix

We hate to mix politics and sports, but it's worth noting that at least one presidential candidate has decided to jump on the Tim Tebow bandwagon in search of votes.


Texas Gov. Rick Perry, in last night's GOP debate in Iowa, gave this answer when he was asked whether his admitted lack of speaking skills would hurt him in a showdown with Barack Obama:


"There are a lot of folks that said Tim Tebow wasn't going to be a very good NFL quarterback. There are a lot of people who stood up and said he doesn't have the right throwing mechanisms, or he's not playing the game right. And, uh, he won two national championships and that looked pretty good. We were the national champions in job creation back in Texas. So, but am I ready for the next level? Let me tell you, I hope I am the Tim Tebow of the Iowa caucuses."


At least Perry got his facts right when citing Florida's two national championships under Tebow. But he didn't let up. In his closing statement, Perry quoted a famous NFL player "whose name doesn't come to mind," who apparently said: "If you don't get your tail kicked every now and then, you're not playing at a high enough level." Is that anything like Bill Belichick saying: "On a football team, it's not the strength of the individual players, but it is the strength of the unit and how they all function together."


Politicians on all sides of the aisle fumble the ball trying connect with voters by dropping sports references to sound like they're in touch. Having the Super Bowl, World Series or Olympic champs on the White House lawn is a slam dunk since everybody loves a winner. But too many times pols look foolish when they go jockular.


Perry's comparison to Tebow and his closing quote reminded us of some other notable cringe-inducing sports analogies we've heard over the years from candidates and elected officials from both parties. Here's a "fair and balanced" look:


Our favorite. This "inonic" moment of Boston's Mayor Menino recalling Super Bowl champion Adam Varitek.


We had Sen. John Kerry's outspoken admiration of Red Sox slugger "Manny Ortez" (who hit 84 home runs in 2004 and eventually tested positive several times for PEDs). Kerry also renamed "Lambert Field" in Wisconsin and lauded the home-state "Buckeyes" in Michigan while running for president. It didn't hurt as he carried both states in the 2004 election.


While at a GOP debate in 2007, Romney spoke of the "87 long years" Red Sox fans endured between World Series titles from 1918 to 2004. During the 2010 campaign for the U.S. senate, Martha Coakley accused Curt Schilling of being a Yankees fan. And several of the Democrats hoping to unseat Scott Brown just last week struggled to answer the simple question of "In what years did the Red Sox win the World Series in this century?"


Watching this one is about as painful as waiting for Perry to drop that third cabinet department. We do get our correct answer in about 41 seconds, not 41 minutes, thanks to Jim King.


Tags: Tim Tebow typical Athlete, Tim Tebow Patriots, Tim Tebow Broncos, Tebow Clifton Woman, Tebow little with, Tebow OC Dolphins, Tebow Brady face, Tebow the hype, Tebow Story,   Tebow over NFL

Tim Tebow lords over NFL

Tim Tebow might be engineering all these comebacks for the Denver Broncos. It’s Matt Prater who’s sealing them.


Prater always considered himself an icy-veined kicker whose heartbeat stayed steady whatever pressure he was under. This year, he’s getting the chance to prove it — time and again.


Prater’s 51-yarder in overtime that sent the Broncos past the stunned Chicago Bears 13-10 on Sunday was his third straight walk-off field goal. It followed his 59-yarder that tied it with 3 seconds left in the fourth quarter.


He and former Indianapolis Colt Mike Vanderjagt are the only kickers in NFL history to have a 50-yard-plus kick to tie a game and then one to win it in overtime. Vanderjagt did it on Nov. 24, 2002, against Denver.


“Those were fabulous clutch kicks, both of them,” coach John Fox said of Prater on Monday. “He’s done it lately. He was in a little bit of a slump about a month ago and he worked himself out of it. We have great confidence in him really from any range.”


But especially from 50-plus, where he’s 12 of 16 in his career.


Prater’s teammates knew they had this one in the bag when Prater jogged onto the field in overtime they’d watched him boom 70-yarders during warm-ups, so 51 yards was a chip shot.


And Tebow just keeps making everyone else look silly. There never has been an elite athlete who has been doubted more than Tebow, and yet we will sooner see him light up a cigarette than gloat. Players love to lament a lack of respect (and usually it’s completely contrived), but not the guy whose abilities truly were denigrated. And not just by know-nothing radio talk show hosts and the dope pictured next to this column.


From Boomer Esiason to Trent Dilfer to Steve Young, one after another, the best quarterback analysts in the business assured us that a player like Tebow would not, could not, succeed at this level. Just not possible. He doesn’t throw accurately. He runs too much. He will get hurt. But the experts shouldn’t feel too bad. Even Tebow’s own bosses, John Elway and John Fox, didn’t see this coming.


Which brings us to the real reason the nation is so captivated by Tebow. Lord knows we have seen and heard athletes who wear their faith on their sleeves before. We’ve even seen great quarterbacks who use their place on the sports stage to spread the word. Rodgers is a religious guy. Kurt Warner was every bit as loud and proud as Tebow is, and he was even more of an underdog story — from humble grocery clerk to Super Bowl champion.


You know what the difference was? With Warner, it made sense. He could drop back. He could throw. He was a four-time Pro Bowler and an MVP who led the league in everything. We understood why Warner won games, and it wasn’t because he loved Jesus and Jesus loved him back. We had empirical evidence. Don’t remember too many games when he threw 11 straight incompletions.


With Tebow, it’s a little more of a mystery. He doesn’t look the part. He doesn’t fit the mold. Smart defensive coordinators were supposed to send him back to Gino Torretta-ville by now. But strange things happen when the game is close and the ball is in Tebow’s hands. As someone said, there is an “Angels in the Outfield” effect. Before he gift-wrapped Sunday’s game for Tebow, Chicago Bears running back Marion Barber hadn’t fumbled in 308 previous touches of the football.


One of the definitions of faith is “belief that is not based in proof.” In a strange way, the power of Tebow becomes stronger because it is so unconventional and so hard to grasp. He is not a great passer, but clearly he is a great leader. He is taking the Broncos down a road less traveled, and they are following with passion. Fox is coming around. Elway, too. So now it gets easier for Tebow. Now maybe they’ll take the reins off and just let him throw like he did in the fourth quarter and overtime Sunday. Now maybe they believe.

Tags: Tim Tebow typical Athlete, Tim Tebow Patriots, Tim Tebow Broncos, Tebow Clifton Woman, Tebow little with, Tebow OC Dolphins, Tebow Brady face, Tebow the hype, Tebow Story,  Tebow good mix