 Tebow with theDenver Broncos in 2012 | |||||||||||||||||||
| No. 15 | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Quarterback | ||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||
| Born | (1987-08-14)August 14, 1987 (age 38) Makati, Philippines | ||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 236 lb (107 kg) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||||||
| High school | Nease(Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, U.S.) | ||||||||||||||||||
| College | Florida (2006–2009) | ||||||||||||||||||
| NFL draft | 2010: 1st round, 25th overall pick | ||||||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||||||
* Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |||||||||||||||||||
| Awards and highlights | |||||||||||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||||||||
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Timothy Richard Tebow (/ˈtiːboʊ/; born August 14, 1987) is an American former professionalfootballquarterback who played in theNational Football League (NFL) for three seasons, primarily with theDenver Broncos. Tebow playedcollege football for theFlorida Gators, becoming the first underclassman to win theHeisman Trophy and leading the team to twoBCS National Championship titles in2006 and2008.[3] At the conclusion of his collegiate career, Tebow held theSoutheastern Conference's records for careerpassing efficiency and rushing touchdowns.[4] He was selected by the Broncos in the first round of the2010 NFL draft.
Tebow became the Broncos' starter during the 2011 season and revitalized a struggling team, bringing them to the franchise's first division title and playoff victory since 2005.[5] His frequent comeback victories and outspoken Christian faith made him a cultural phenomenon, with his habit of dropping to one knee in prayer on the field becoming known as "Tebowing". Due to questions over Tebow's potential as an NFL quarterback, he was traded after the season to theNew York Jets, where he spent one year as a backup.[6]
After failing to make the regular season roster of theNew England Patriots andPhiladelphia Eagles, Tebow pursued aminor leaguebaseball career with theNew York Mets organization from 2016 to 2021.[7] The same year he retired from baseball, he returned to the NFL as atight end for theJacksonville Jaguars, but was released after one preseason game. Since 2017, he has been a regular contributor and co-host for college football programming onSEC Network andESPN. Tebow was inducted in theCollege Football Hall of Fame in 2023.
Tebow was born in thePhilippines to American parents. In the late 1960s, Tebow's parents – Pamela Elaine (née Pemberton) and Robert Ramsey Tebow II – met while attending theUniversity of Florida.[8][9] During that time, his mother was afreshman and his father was asophomore. The couple married on June 12, 1971, before Pamela's graduation from the university.[10] In 1985, the family moved to the Philippines where they served asBaptistmissionaries and built a ministry.[10] During the Tebows' stay, Pamela contracted amoebicdysentery and fell into acoma. While recovering, she discovered that she was pregnant. The medications used to treat Pamela caused a severeplacental abruption.[10] Doctors expected astillbirth and recommended an abortion, which wasillegal in the Philippines even in severe cases; the Tebows decided against it. On August 14, 1987, Pamela Tebow gave birth to Tim Tebow inManila.[10] When Tim was three years old, his family moved from the Philippines toJacksonville, Florida.[11]
Tebow is the youngest of five children.[10] The Tebow family name is ofBelgian (Walloon) origin. He is a descendant of Andries Tebow, who sailed to America fromBruges in the 1680s.[12][13] He and his siblings were allhomeschooled by their parents, who instilled the family's Christian beliefs.[14] Tebow is dyslexic and believes in his uniqueness as a gift from God.[15] He began his high school football career as a tight end for Trinity Christian Academy in Jacksonville. Before the 2003 season, he moved to nearbySt. Johns County, making him eligible to play for the struggling football program atAllen D. Nease High School where he could play quarterback. He never enrolled at either school, however: his parents chose to home-school him. Florida law allows homeschooled students to participate on the team of the local high school in theschool district in which they live, and private schools such as Trinity Christian Academy are also allowed to let homeschooled students play on their teams.[16][17]
Tebow came to national prominence as a junior at Nease, known for his running and throwing abilities, as well as an intense competitiveness. Later that year, he suffered an injury to his right leg late in the first half of a game. At first believed to be suffering from a bad cramp, he actually played the entire second half with a brokenfibula, at one point rushing for a 29-yard touchdown. After the game the extent of the injury was discovered and he was held out for the remainder of his junior season.[18] Nevertheless, he was named Florida's Player of the Year and became amajor college football quarterback prospect.[19]
During his senior season, he led the Nease Panthers to a state title, earned All-State honors, was named Florida's Mr. Football and aParade magazine high school All-American, and repeated as Florida's Player of the Year.[19][20] He played in theU.S. Army All-American Bowl inSan Antonio, Texas which featured the top 78 senior high school football players in the nation and was shown nationally on NBC television.[21]
Tebow was the subject of anESPNFaces in Sports documentary. The segment was titled "Tim Tebow: The Chosen One", and focused on Tebow's home schooling and missionary work in the Philippines, his athletic exploits, and the college recruiting process.[22] Tebow was also featured inSports Illustrated on the "Faces in the Crowd" page.[23] In 2007, he was named to the Florida State Athletic Association's All-Century Team that listed the Top 33 football players in the state of Florida's 100-year history of high school football.[24] Despite family ties to theUniversity of Florida, where his parents met as students,[14] Tebow considered other schools, including theUniversity of Alabama.[25]
On January 7, 2007, Tebow was featured prominently in anESPNOutside The Lines feature on home-schooled athletes seeking equal access to high school athletics in other states. Because a home-schooler's access to public and private school athletic functions varies by state, Tebow and former defensive endJason Taylor (who was allowed to play at his local high school inPennsylvania) argued in favor of extending the right to play for local teams to more states.[26] Upon becoming the first home-schooled athlete to be nominated for the Heisman Trophy, he remarked, "That's really cool. A lot of times people have this stereotype of home-schoolers as not very athletic – it's like, go win aspelling bee or something like that – it's an honor for me to be the first one to do that."[27] Tebow received the 2008 Quaqua Protégé Award as outstanding home-education graduate.[28]
Tebow was heavily recruited by many college programs and almost accepted a scholarship offer fromMike Shula, then coach atAlabama.[29] Instead, he chose to attend theUniversity of Florida and play for coachUrban Meyer'sFlorida Gators.[30] He was a key backup on Florida's2006 national championship team, won the starting quarterback job and theHeisman Trophy in2007, led the Gators to another BCS championship in2008, and quarterbacked them to a 13–1 season in2009. He served asteam captain in 2008 and 2009, and he is the only three-time recipient of the Florida's most valuable player award, having been chosen by his teammates in 2007, 2008, and 2009.[31]
Despite a strong showing in his first inter-squad scrimmage, head coach Urban Meyer named Tebow second-string behindChris Leak.[32] A backup throughout the season, Tebow was a significant contributor to the Gators' 2006 success. He made his college debut coming off the bench in agoal line situation againstSouthern Miss. He rushed for a touchdown on a designed quarterback scramble on his first play.[33] In his next game, he led the team in rushing yards againstUCF.[34]
Tebow's biggest game in the season came againstLSU on October 7, where he accounted for all three of the Gators' touchdowns, passing for two and rushing for another.[35] Tebow played a role in the Gators' victory in the2007 BCS National Championship Game againstOhio State. He threw for one touchdown and rushed for another, finishing with 39 rushing yards.[36] He finished 2006 with the second-most rushing yards on the Gator team.[37][38]
Although questions about his passing skill loomed, Tebow was named the Florida Gators starting quarterback for the 2007 season.[39] He opened the year 13-of-17 for 300 yards and three touchdowns in his starting debut againstWestern Kentucky.[40] Tebow finished the regular season with the second highestpassing efficiency in the nation with 177.8. Additionally, he averaged 4.3 yards per carry on the ground.[41]
Tebow set numerous personal, school, and national records in the 2007 season, including:
On November 24, againstFlorida State, Tebow threw for three touchdowns and rushed for two in a 45–12 rout of the Seminoles. It was later revealed that Tebowfractured his right hand during the third quarter but played the rest of the game. He had to wear a cast for the next three weeks.[45] He led the SEC in pass completion percentage and rushing touchdowns.[46]
After the 2007 season, Tebow was recognized as a first-team All-SEC selection and a consensus first-teamAll-American.[47][48] He won theHeisman Trophy, given to the most outstanding college football player of the year. Tebow also received theDavey O'Brien Award, annually given to the best quarterback in the nation, on February 18 inFort Worth, Texas.[49] In addition, he won the Maxwell Award and AP Player of the Year.[50][51]
On December 8, 2007, Tebow was awarded theHeisman Trophy, finishing ahead of Arkansas'sDarren McFadden, Hawaii'sColt Brennan, and Missouri'sChase Daniel. He was the firstsophomore to win the Heisman Trophy.[18] He garnered 462 first-place votes and 1,957 points, 254 points ahead of the runner-up, Arkansas running back Darren McFadden.[52][53] He finished the regular season as the only player inFBS history to rush and pass for at least 20 touchdowns in both categories in the same season.[54] He had 32 passing touchdowns, 23 rushing touchdowns, and became the third Florida player to win the Heisman Trophy, joiningSteve Spurrier andDanny Wuerffel.[55]
| Finalist | First place votes (3 pts. each) | Second place votes (2 pts. each) | Third place votes (1 pt. each) | Total points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tim Tebow | 462 | 229 | 113 | 1,957 |
| Darren McFadden | 291 | 355 | 120 | 1,703 |
| Colt Brennan | 54 | 114 | 242 | 632 |
| Source:[56] | ||||
Before the 2007 season had even come to a close, Florida coachUrban Meyer stated that he would likely use two quarterbacks during the 2008 season to take some of the workload off of Tebow's shoulders.[57] Tebow led the Gators in rushing in 2007[58] but also had to play through a bruised shoulder and broken non-throwing hand.[57] 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.[59]
On September 27, 2008, in the fourth week of the season, the undefeated No. 4 Gators lost to unrankedOle Miss at home, despite being 22-point favorites. After the game, Tebow delivered a speech to the media, later known as "The Promise" and later regarded as one of the most iconic speeches in college football history. In this speech, Tebow apologized for the loss and promised he and the team would do better. He would keep good on this promise, as the Gators would not lose another game for the rest of the season.[60][61][62][63]
On November 1, 2008, playing againstGeorgia, Tebow ran for his 37th rushing touchdown, breaking the school record previously held by former Florida running backEmmitt Smith. Tebow helped lead the Gators to a 12–1 record in 2008. After clinching the SEC East title, the team played for and won the SEC title in the2008 SEC Championship Game againstAlabama. The win secured the #2 ranking in the finalBCS standings, which earned the Gators the chance to play #1 rankedOklahoma in the2009 BCS National Championship Game, which they won 24–14.[64] He led the SEC in pass completion percentage and passing touchdowns.[65]
Tebow finished third in the 2008 Heisman Trophy voting, with Oklahoma quarterbackSam Bradford taking the top spot followed by Texas quarterbackColt McCoy, despite Tebow receiving the most first-place votes.[66][67] He won the Maxwell Award in 2008, only the second player to ever win the award twice.[68] He won the Manning Award, Maxwell Award, and SEC Offensive Player of the Year.[69][70][71]
On January 11, 2009, at a national championship celebration held atBen Hill Griffin Stadium,[72] Tebow announced that he would not make himself eligible for the2009 NFL draft, but would instead return for his senior season at Florida.[73] A day later, he had surgery on his right shoulder to remove a bone spur in an effort to reduce chronic inflammation.[74]
| Finalist | First place votes (3 pts. each) | Second place votes (2 pts. each) | Third place votes (1 pt. each) | Total points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sam Bradford | 300 | 315 | 196 | 1,726 |
| Colt McCoy | 266 | 288 | 230 | 1,604 |
| Tim Tebow | 309 | 207 | 234 | 1,575 |
| Source:[75] | ||||
Tebow opened the2009 season continuing a streak of throwing and running for a touchdown in blowout wins overCharleston Southern andTroy.[76][77] He ran for a touchdown in the third game, a win againstTennessee, but failed to throw for a touchdown for the first time since his freshman season.[78] In answer to an interview question, Tebow stated he was a virgin.[79] The statement was subject to much discussion about whether the question was necessary, including criticism of the reporter who originally asked.[80][81][82]
Tebow started againstKentucky despite suffering from a respiratory illness and taking two bags of intravenous fluids before the game.[83] He ran for two touchdowns to put him in 2nd place on the all-time SEC touchdown list and he also threw for a touchdown.[84] Late in the third quarter, he was hit in the chest by Kentucky defensive end Taylor Wyndham, fell backwards, and hit the back of his head on the knee of Florida tackleMarcus Gilbert.[83] He lay motionless for several minutes before being helped to the sidelines, where he appeared to vomit.[85] He was taken by ambulance to theUniversity of Kentucky Chandler Medical Center.[85][83] ACT scan showed no bleeding in the brain, with the injury described as a mild concussion.[86] CoachUrban Meyer stayed the night in the hospital with Tebow, who was discharged in the morning.[87] Coincidentally, Florida did not have a game scheduled for the following Saturday, and Tebow was cleared to play in the Gators' next contest atLSU on October 10, two weeks after the incident.[88]
On October 31, 2009, while playing againstGeorgia, Tebow ran for his 50th and 51st rushing touchdowns, breaking the SEC career record previously held by former Georgia running backHerschel Walker.[89] His penultimate collegiate game, the2009 SEC Championship, saw him once again facing theUniversity of Alabama. Tebow threw for 245 yards and a touchdown and led the team with 63 yards rushing, but the Gators fell 32–13 and lost their chance to play for a second consecutive national title.[90] Florida beatCincinnati 51–24 in the2010 Sugar Bowl the following January. In what was Tebow's last college game, he completed 31-of-35 passes for 482 yards and three touchdowns and accounted for four total touchdowns and 533 yards of total offense, which set a record for aBowl Championship Series game.[91] He graduated from the University of Florida in December 2009.[92]
At the end of his college career, Tebow held fiveNational Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), 14Southeastern Conference (SEC), and 28 University of Florida statistical records.[93] He was the SEC's all-time leader in careerpassing efficiency (170.8),completion percentage (67.1%), passing touchdown to interception ratio (5.5 to 1), rushing yards by a quarterback (2,947), rushing touchdowns (any position) (57), and total touchdowns responsible for (145).[4][94] Among many mentions in the NCAA Division-I record book, Tebow is ranked second in career passing efficiency, third in career yards per attempt (9.33), 8th in career rushing touchdowns, and also owns the record for most consecutive games in which he both threw at least one touchdown pass and scored at least one rushing touchdown (14).[95]
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| Led the NCAA | |
| Bold | Career high |
| Season | Team | GP | Passing | Rushing | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cmp | Att | Pct | Yds | TD | Int | Rtg | Sck | Att | Yds | TD | |||
| 2006 | Florida | 14 | 22 | 33 | 66.7 | 358 | 5 | 1 | 201.7 | 0 | 89 | 469 | 8 |
| 2007 | Florida | 13 | 234 | 350 | 66.9 | 3,286 | 32 | 6 | 172.5 | 13 | 210 | 895 | 23 |
| 2008 | Florida | 14 | 192 | 298 | 64.4 | 2,747 | 30 | 4 | 172.4 | 15 | 176 | 673 | 12 |
| 2009 | Florida | 14 | 213 | 304 | 70.1 | 2,895 | 21 | 5 | 164.2 | 25 | 217 | 910 | 14 |
| Total | 55 | 661 | 985 | 67.1 | 9,286 | 88 | 16 | 170.8 | 53 | 692 | 2,947 | 57 | |
In 2010, a new rule for the next NCAA football season banned messages on eye paint. This rule was dubbed "The Tebow Rule"[118][119][120] by media.[120]
During his college football career, Tebow frequently wore references to biblical verses on hiseye black. In the2009 BCS Championship Game, he woreJohn 3:16 on his eye black; the verse was the highest-rankedGoogle search term over the next 24 hours, generating over 90 million searches.[121][122][123][124] Additionally, later, when Tebow switched to another verse, there were 3.43 million searches of "Tim Tebow" and "Proverbs 3:5–6" together.[125]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".[125]
Despite the media labeling it as the Tebow rule, the NCAA denies the rule was influenced by Tebow in particular, since many other notable players (Reggie Bush andTerrelle Pryor for example) wore messages on eye black.[126][127] An NCAA spokesman said: "When this rule was proposed, the committee did not focus on any one team or student athlete. That measure reinforces what the intended use of eye black is, which is to shade the eyes from the sun."[127]
The NFL already had a rule prohibiting players from wearing messages on eye black dating back toJim McMahon's time with theChicago Bears, so Tebow could not have continued the practice in the NFL.[120]
After passing on the2009 NFL draft for his senior season at Florida, Tebow went on to enter the2010 NFL draft. Despite his college success, Tebow's NFL potential was much debated. At the time,Jon Gruden said Tebow was "the strongest human being that's ever played the position" and "is the kind of guy who could revolutionize the game".[128] FormerIndianapolis Colts coachTony Dungy said he would pick Tebow with a top 10 pick over any quarterback in the 2010 Draft.[129] However, NFL analystMel Kiper Jr. believed Tebow did 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 asPat White", said Kiper.[130]
Tebow was particularly mentioned as a potential third-round pick of theJacksonville Jaguars, his hometown team. Some, including Florida governorCharlie Crist, suggested that Tebow could be the remedy for dwindling Jaguars ticket sales atEverBank Field.[131]
Early in the 2009 season, Jaguars ownerWayne Weaver stated: "He (Tebow) clearly is an outstanding football player and would be an asset to any football organization. Clearly there's going to be a groundswell for Tebow, and we'll have to make that evaluation if we have a draft pick that's going to be anywhere near him."[132] Not everyone in the organization agreed, as Jaguar linemanUche Nwaneri posted doubts about Tebow's potential NFL success on his team's website message board.[133]
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Wonderlic | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft2+3⁄4 in (1.90 m) | 236 lb (107 kg) | 31+3⁄4 in (0.81 m) | 10+1⁄8 in (0.26 m) | 4.72 s | 1.55 s | 2.66 s | 4.17 s | 6.66 s | 38+1⁄2 in (0.98 m) | 9 ft 7 in (2.92 m) | 22 | |
| All values fromNFL Scouting Combine.[134][135] | ||||||||||||
.JPG)
Tebow was selected by theDenver Broncos in the first round (25th overall) of the2010 NFL draft.[136] The Broncos had acquired the pick in a trade with theBaltimore Ravens on the first night of the draft for the Broncos' second, third and fourth round picks.[137] Broncos head coachJosh McDaniels said about drafting Tebow, "He has all the traits you look for. It's a good pick."[138] When asked how Tebow will be used, McDaniels commented that Tebow probably wouldn't start at quarterback as a rookie, and that he'll, "Play when he's ready."The Denver Post columnistWoody Paige praised the pick, saying "Tim Tremendous may be high risk, but he will be a Mile High Reward."[139]
He set an NFL Draft record for jersey sales and continued to have the top selling jersey through the 2010 season.[140]
On July 29, Tebow signed a five-year contract with the Broncos that had a base value of$11.25 million (he could make as much as $33 million through certain performance-based incentives). The contract included $8.7 million guaranteed.[141]
On October 17, Tebow scored his first NFL touchdown, which was a five-yard running play against theNew York Jets.[142] On November 14, Tebow threw a three-yard touchdown pass to fullbackSpencer Larsen on his first career NFL pass attempt, as part of a 49–29 home victory over theKansas City Chiefs. He also added a one-yard rushing touchdown in the game.[143]
Tebowstarted his first NFL game on December 19, which was a 39–23 road loss to theOakland Raiders.[144] He completed 8-of-16 passes for 138 yards, including a 33-yard touchdown pass. He also rushed for 78 yards, 40 of which came on a touchdown run in the first quarter of the game.[145] It was the longest touchdown run for a quarterback in Broncos history and the longest touchdown run in NFL history for a quarterback in his first start.[citation needed]
Tebow's first career victory came in his second start on December 26. The Broncos defeated theHouston Texans, 24–23, in Denver.[146] He helped rally the Broncos from a 17–0 deficit at halftime, as he finished the game with 308 passing yards and one touchdown pass. He also added a fourth-quarter rushing touchdown, which capped the comeback.[147]
Tebow finished hisrookie season playing sparingly in six games as a back-up (primarily on plays involving the wild horse formation, which is Denver's variation of thewildcat formation) before starting the last three games of the Broncos' season. He passed for a total of 654 yards, five touchdowns and three interceptions. He also rushed for 227 yards and six touchdowns.[148] He became the first quarterback in NFL history to rush for a touchdown in each of his first three career starts.[citation needed]
.jpg)
Tebow began the2011 season as theDenver Broncos' backupquarterback, behindKyle Orton.[149][150] After the Broncos started 1–3, Tebow replaced Orton at halftime during a home game against theSan Diego Chargers in week five.[151][152] Tebow passed and ran for a touchdown in the fourth quarter, narrowing a 16-point difference to an ultimate 29–24 loss.[153] Shortly afterward, Broncos'head coachJohn Fox announced Tebow would start in the following game on the road against theMiami Dolphins.[154] Tebow struggled for three-and-a-half quarters against the Dolphins, taking sixsacks, but rallied from a 15–0 deficit in the last three minutes to win the game 18–15 in overtime.[155][156] The next week, Tebow took seven sacks in a 45–10 loss to theDetroit Lions.[157]
On November 6, Tebow rushed for 118 yards, along with passing for 124 yards and two touchdowns, as part of a 38–24 road victory over theOakland Raiders, second only toNorris Weese in Broncos history for rushing by a quarterback.[158] The Broncos followed with another road win over theKansas City Chiefs. Tebow completed two passes on eight attempts for 69 yards and a touchdown.[159] His second completion, a 56-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter to wide receiverEric Decker, sealed the game for Denver.[160] Four days later, Tebow was 9-for-20 with 104 yards in aThursday Night Football home game against theNew York Jets.[161] He led a 95-yard, game-winning touchdown drive with less than six minutes to play, capped by a 20-yard touchdown run on third-and-four with less than one minute remaining.[162] Tebow guided the Broncos to another comeback victory the next week—a 16–13 overtime road win over the San Diego Chargers, where he ran the ball 22 times for 67 yards.[163] In the tenth start of his NFL career, Tebow led the Broncos to their third consecutive come-from-behind win at theMinnesota Vikings, 35–32;[164] followed by a fourth comeback win, this time 13–10 in overtime at home over theChicago Bears after being shut out for almost 58 minutes.[165]
It was the last regular-season win of Tebow's career. In week 15, Tebow rushed for two touchdowns and completed 11-of-22 passes against theNew England Patriots in a 41–23 loss. He was sacked four times in the game and had one fumble.[166] In the Broncos' 40–14 loss to theBuffalo Bills the following week, he had one passing and one rushing touchdown but also threw three interceptions, two of which were returned for touchdowns, and two fumbles.[167] He struggled for a third straight game the following week in a 7–3 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, completing only 6-of-22 passes and finishing with a career-low quarterback rating of 20.6, but a loss by the Oakland Raiders clinched a playoff spot for the Broncos in theAFC West.[168][169] After the three consecutive losses, Broncos vice president and former quarterbackJohn Elway said Tebow was playing tentatively and needed to "pull the trigger".[170][171]
On January 8, Denver hosted thePittsburgh Steelers during theWild Card Round of theNFL playoffs. Tebow completed 10-of-21 passes for a career-high 316 yards and two touchdowns, including an 80-yard touchdown toDemaryius Thomas on the first play of overtime, as the Broncos won 29–23.[171] Media sources noted Tebow's passing yards (316) and yards per completion (31.6) evoked the Bible'sJohn 3:16. TheNielsen ratings for the game also peaked at 31.6.John 3:16 was the top search item onGoogle the next morning, followed byTebow andTim Tebow.[172][173] The next week, Tebow completed just nine of 26 passes and took five sacks in a 45–10 defeat at the hands of the New England Patriots in theDivisional Round.[174][175]
After the season, Elway confirmed that Tebow would be the Broncos' starting quarterback going intotraining camp in 2012.[176] Despite on-field successes by the Broncos under Tebow, he finished the season with the lowest passing completion rate in the NFL (reaching 50% in just four of his 14 games) which led many to question his potential as a quarterback at the professional level.[177] Tebow's persistent fumbles also created uncertainty about his future as a quarterback.[178][179][180]
After the Broncos signedfree agentPeyton Manning,[181] Tebow was traded to theNew York Jets on March 21, 2012, along with the Broncos' 2012 seventh round draft pick, in exchange for the Jets' fourth and sixth round picks.[182] Jetsspecial teams coordinatorMike Westhoff stated that Tebow would be used on special teams,[183] while head coachRex Ryan andoffensive coordinatorTony Sparano stated that he would also be used in thewildcat formation on offense.[184] The presence of Tebow throughout theseason, in which the Jets struggled, created a controversy as the fans and media called for Ryan to bench the inconsistentMark Sanchez in favor of Tebow.[185]
Tebow suffered two brokenribs during a road game against theSeattle Seahawks, but his injury was not confirmed until two days before the Jets' Thanksgiving game against theNew England Patriots. He was active despite the injury, which was publicly revealed after the game.[186] Tebow was inactive during the Jets' subsequent game against theArizona Cardinals in which Sanchez was benched in favor ofGreg McElroy.[187]
On April 29, 2013, Tebow was released by the Jets. He had thrown only eight passes and rushed 32 times in his one season with the team.[188]
TheNew England Patriots signed Tebow on June 10, 2013, the day before the team's mandatory minicamp;[189][190][191] Tebow signed a two-year contract with no guaranteed money, although it did have playing time-based incentives in 2014. The move reunited him withJosh McDaniels, who had resumed his positions as Patriots offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.[192] Tebow played in the first two of New England's preseason games, against thePhiladelphia Eagles and theTampa Bay Buccaneers; he completed just five passes in both games, was sacked several times and intercepted once, intensifying criticism of his football acumen.[193] He went 6-for-11 for 91 yards, throwing a pair of touchdown passes and one interception, and gained 30 yards on six carries against theNew York Giants, but he also was sacked four times. He threw a total of two touchdown passes and two interceptions in the preseason and had a passer rating of 47.2 and completed 36.7% of his passes.[194] He was released from the Patriots on August 31, 2013, the day NFL teams were required to cut their rosters to 53. After being cut, he publicly thanked the Patriots organization for the opportunity and stated: "I will remain in relentless pursuit of continuing my lifelong dream of being an NFL quarterback."[195]
Though he beganhis broadcasting career in December 2013 on theSEC Network, Tebow continued to seek opportunities to resume his career as an NFL quarterback.[196]
Tebow signed a one-year contract with thePhiladelphia Eagles on April 20, 2015, and was in competition withMatt Barkley for the Eagles third-string quarterback job.[197] Tebow played all four games in the preseason with no starts, going 21-of-36 for 286 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception, while rushing for 82 yards and a touchdown.[198] He was released by the team on September 5, following the fourth preseason game.[199]
On May 20, 2021, after spending six years out of football, Tebow contacted his former college coach, Urban Meyer, then coach of theJacksonville Jaguars, about returning to the sport.[200] The Jaguars signed him as atight end to a one-year contract for the veteran minimum of $920,000, none of which was guaranteed.[201] The Jaguars released Tebow on August 17, 2021. He had not caught any passes or played on special teams during limited playing time in the preseason.[200]
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| Bold | Career high |
| Year | Team | Games | Passing | Rushing | Sacks | Fumbles | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Record | Cmp | Att | Pct | Yds | Y/A | TD | Int | Rtg | Att | Yds | Avg | TD | Sck | Yds | Fum | Lost | ||
| 2010 | DEN | 9 | 3 | 1–2 | 41 | 82 | 50.0 | 654 | 8.0 | 5 | 3 | 82.1 | 43 | 227 | 5.3 | 6 | 6 | 26 | 1 | 0 |
| 2011 | DEN | 14 | 11 | 7–4 | 126 | 271 | 46.5 | 1,729 | 6.4 | 12 | 6 | 72.9 | 122 | 660 | 5.4 | 6 | 33 | 225 | 13 | 6 |
| 2012 | NYJ | 12 | 2 | — | 6 | 8 | 75.0 | 39 | 4.9 | 0 | 0 | 84.9 | 32 | 102 | 3.2 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Career | 35 | 16 | 8–6 | 173 | 361 | 47.9 | 2,422 | 6.7 | 17 | 9 | 75.3 | 197 | 989 | 5.0 | 12 | 41 | 258 | 14 | 6 | |
| Year | Team | Games | Passing | Rushing | Sacks | Fumbles | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Record | Cmp | Att | Pct | Yds | Y/A | TD | Int | Rtg | Att | Yds | Avg | TD | Sck | Yds | Fum | Lost | ||
| 2011 | DEN | 2 | 2 | 1–1 | 19 | 47 | 40.4 | 452 | 9.6 | 2 | 0 | 90.0 | 15 | 63 | 4.2 | 1 | 5 | 28 | 1 | 1 |
| Career | 2 | 2 | 1–1 | 19 | 47 | 40.4 | 452 | 9.6 | 2 | 0 | 90.0 | 15 | 63 | 4.2 | 1 | 5 | 28 | 1 | 1 | |
Tebow's football background combined with his outspoken views on Christianity led some media pundits to label him as a 'cultural phenomenon'.[202][203][204][205][206][207]
A nationwide controversy surrounded Tebow's decision to appear in an ad funded by thesocially conservative organizationFocus on the Family that was broadcast on February 7, 2010, duringSuper Bowl XLIV onCBS.[208][209] There were two 30-second commercials which included Tebow's personal story as part of apro-life stance. Theabortion issue was not specifically mentioned in the ad.[210]Pro-choice groups criticized the ad,[211] whilepro-life groups supported Tebow.[212]
In 2011, Tebow was the first quarterback to be featured inESPN's "Year of the Quarterback" series. The documentary, titledTim Tebow: Everything in Between, followed him from the2010 Sugar Bowl to the2010 NFL draft. It premiered on January 6, 2011.[213] On November 8, 2011, the documentary was released onDVD.
On May 31, 2011,HarperCollins releasedThrough My Eyes, an autobiography that Tebow co-wrote with author Nathan Whitaker. Tebow details his early life growing up in Jacksonville and the Philippines, as well as his experiences as a college football quarterback.[214] By March 4, 2012, it had spent 24 weeks on theNew York Times best seller list.[215] It was named the #1 sports book of 2011.[216] Tebow followed his memoir with a young readers' edition titledThrough My Eyes: A Quarterback's Journey, also co-written with Whitaker.[217]
Tebow was the subject of a 2012 documentary onNFL Network'sA Football Life entitledThe Faces of Tebow.[218] He is aspokesperson forNike,Jockey International, FRS Health Energy, andTiVo.[219][220][221][222]
In 2013, Tebow collaborated with headphone maker Soul Electronics to create his own signature line of headphones. He launched a line which he called the 'Jet'.[223]
In an episode that aired on February 4, 2016, Tebow competed againstThe Vampire Diaries actressNina Dobrev onSpike'sLip Sync Battle. Tebow won the lip-sync contest with performances of "Take Your Time" bySam Hunt and "Eye of the Tiger" bySurvivor.[224]
On December 30, 2013, Tebow was hired by ESPN as a college football analyst. He appears mainly on theSEC Network as co-host ofSEC Nation, a travelling pre-game show, and contributed to ESPN's other platforms as well; Tebow made his debut on ESPN during the2014 BCS National Championship Game. He did not give up on playing in the NFL, however, as his contract allowed him to continue to pursue opportunities as a player.[225]
Tebow signed a multi-year extension of his contract with ESPN in 2017. His new contract allowed him to continue to pursue his pro baseball career.[226]
Tebow was asked to co-host ABC News'Good Morning America on January 31, 2014, two days beforeSuper Bowl XLVIII, and was joined on the morning show byEli Manning.[227][228][229][230][231]
Tebow also hosted two television shows, the second season ofHome Free, a reality show about home renovation on Fox in 2016,[232] andMillion Dollar Mile, an obstacle course competition show in 2019 on CBS.[233]
On September 2, 2021, shortly after his release from the Jaguars, Tebow joinedFirst Take, a talk show run byStephen A. Smith.[234]
Tim Tebow was executive producer[235] along with his older brother Robby Tebow, and actor in his first movieRun the Race which was released on February 22, 2019, in the U.S. This film is an inspirational sports drama with a football theme.[236]
| Tim Tebow | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Tim Tebow getting ready for a hit in 2017 | |
| Left fielder | |
Batted: Left Threw: Left | |
| MILB debut | |
| April 6, 2017, for the Columbia Fireflies | |
| Last MILB appearance | |
| July 21, 2019, for the Syracuse Mets | |
| MILB statistics | |
| Batting average | .223 |
| Hits | 210 |
| Home runs | 18 |
| Runs batted in | 107 |
| Teams | |
| |
In early August 2016, Tebow made announcements that he was interested in pursuing a career in professionalbaseball and invited all 30Major League Baseball teams to his open tryout at the end of August.[237] Tebow had not played baseball full-time since 2005, his junior year in high school, when he was an all-state player and theLos Angeles Angels of Anaheim expressed interest in drafting him had he played his senior year.[238] Additionally, he had a tryout with and received interest from theLos Angeles Dodgers prior to the2016 Major League Baseball season.[239] On August 9, Tebow received contract offers (without tryouts) from two minorindependent professional teams: theSchaumburg Boomers of theFrontier League and theSouthern Maryland Blue Crabs of theAtlantic League of Professional Baseball.[240][241][242] On the day before his tryout, Tebow was also offered a contract byÁguilas del Zulia, a team in theVenezuelan Professional Baseball League that plays winter baseball.[243] Tebow held his tryout on August 30 atDedeaux Field in front of 40 MLB scouts (from 28 of the 30 MLB teams), Dodgers scouting directorBilly Gasparino, and 50 members of the media.[244]
On September 8, 2016, Tebow signed a minor league contract with theNew York Mets and participated in the Mets'instructional league.[245][246][247] In his firstat bat with the organization, on September 28, 2016, Tebow hit a home run on the first pitch.[248] The Mets assigned him to theScottsdale Scorpions of theArizona Fall League,[249] where he batted .194 in 70plate appearances, with 20strikeouts in 62 at bats.[250]
Tebow spent most of 2017spring training in the Mets' minor league camp, with a few appearances in major league camp.[251][252] He began the 2017 regular season with theColumbia Fireflies of theClass ASouth Atlantic League.[253] On April 6, 2017, Tebow hit a home run in his first at bat for the Fireflies, playing against theAugusta GreenJackets.[254] He batted .222 with three home runs and 23runs batted in for Columbia. On June 25, the Mets promoted Tebow to theSt. Lucie Mets of theClass A-AdvancedFlorida State League.[255] Once again he homered in his first day with his new club, St. Lucie, on June 28.[256] Tebow had a 12-game hitting streak between July 3 and 14.[257] Tebow finished the year at St. Lucie hitting .231, with 5 home runs and 57 strikeouts, in 216 at bats. Tebow expressed interest in returning for another season in 2018.[258]
On January 19, 2018, the Mets announced that they would invite Tebow to major league camp.[259] Despite a poor showing in spring training (1-for-18 with 11 strikeouts), the Mets organization promoted Tebow to theirDouble-A team, theBinghamton Rumble Ponies of theEastern League. On April 5, Tebow again hit a home run in his first at bat for a new team; with two men on base, he hit the first pitch over the right-field wall.[260] On June 29, Tebow was named to the Eastern League All-Star Game; at the time, he was batting .261 for the season and .323 in his last 21 games.[261] In the All-Star Game, held on July 11, Tebow went 1-for-4 as the East team'sdesignated hitter.[262]
On July 23, the Mets organization announced that Tebow had broken thehamate bone in his right hand, which required surgery and led him to miss the remainder of the season.[263]
.jpg)
In November 2018, the Mets assigned Tebow to theSyracuse Mets of theClass AAAInternational League.[264] He spent spring training in 2019 with the New York Mets, and returned to Syracuse to start the 2019 season.[265] On May 18, 2019, the Syracuse Mets held a Tebow bobblehead giveaway for the first 1,000 fans in attendance.[266]
Between June 28 and July 5, 2019, Tebow hit three home runs over an AAA six game stretch for the Syracuse Mets, his best performance as a professional baseball player.[267]
On July 21, 2019, Tebow injured his left pinky fielding a ball in the outfield, requiring eight stitches. As a result, he missed the remainder of the 2019 season.[268]
On February 25, Tebow hit his first major leaguespring traininghome run,[269] a two-run home run againstDetroit Tigers' relieverAlex Wilson.[270]
On February 17, Tebow and the Mets formally announced his retirement from professional baseball.[271][272]
| Regular season | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | Level | Affiliate | GP | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | BA | |||
| 2016 | Scottsdale Scorpions | AzFL | Fall | NYM | 19 | 71 | 62 | 6 | 12 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 20 | .194 | |||
| 2017 | Columbia Fireflies | SAL | A | NYM | 64 | 244 | 214 | 29 | 47 | 14 | 1 | 3 | 23 | 0 | 24 | 69 | .220 | |||
| 2017 | St. Lucie Mets | FLOR | A-Adv. | NYM | 62 | 242 | 216 | 21 | 50 | 10 | 1 | 5 | 21 | 2 | 19 | 57 | .231 | |||
| 2018 | Binghamton Rumble Ponies | EL | AA | NYM | 84 | 298 | 271 | 32 | 74 | 14 | 1 | 6 | 36 | 1 | 22 | 103 | .273 | |||
| 2019 | Syracuse Mets | IL | AAA | NYM | 77 | 264 | 239 | 25 | 39 | 10 | 0 | 4 | 19 | 2 | 20 | 98 | .163 | |||
Tebow accepted an invitation by thePhilippines national team to play on their2021 World Baseball Classic team. He was eligible to play for the Philippines as he was born there. He was scheduled to play in thequalifying round in March 2020 in Arizona, but the tournament was cancelled due to theCOVID-19 pandemic.[269][274]
In July 2023, Tebow was announced as a co-owner of anECHLexpansion team to be based in theLake Tahoe area, later named theTahoe Knight Monsters. Tebow was also previously a minor partner in the ECHL'sJacksonville Icemen andSavannah Ghost Pirates.[275] In August 2025, Tebow was also named as a co-owner of a second ECHL expansion team, ayet-to-be named team inAugusta, Georgia.[276][277]
Tebow is also an investor inUSL Championship andUSL Super League soccer clubSporting Club Jacksonville.[278]
"Tebowing" is aneologism for the act ofkneeling on one knee inprayer specifically with one's head bowed and an arm resting on the one bent knee, a form ofgenuflecting.[279][280] It is derived from Tebow's propensity for kneeling and praying. The origin of the phrase is credited to fan Jared Kleinstein, who posted a picture with friends onFacebook, in which they mimicked a pose of Tebow following the Broncos' comeback overtime victory over the Dolphins on October 23, 2011.[281] The popularity of the picture led Kleinstein to set up a website showing pictures submitted by people depicting various interpretations of "Tebowing" all over the world.[281] After two-and-a-half months, the site received 20,000 photograph submissions and 20 million page views from 2 million unique visitors.[282]The New York Times wrote "it can be hard to tell whether [people Tebowing] are celebrating or mocking [Tebow] for his virtuous ways."[280]
Pittsburgh mayorLuke Ravenstahl Tebowed as part of a bet with the mayor of Denver following the Broncos playoff victory over the Steelers in 2012.[283] On October 9, 2012, Tebow was awarded the trademark to "Tebowing" after winning a legal battle with two fans who had expressed interest in trademarking the name.[284]
"Tebowing" was included as a feature in theMadden NFL 13 video game.[285]
On January 10, 2019, Tebow announced his engagement to Miss Universe 2017 and South African modelDemi-Leigh Nel-Peters.[286] The couple were married during a 30-minute ceremony inSouth Africa on January 20, 2020.[287][288] Their daughter was born in July 2025.[289]
Tebow has appeared repeatedly at events inopposition to abortion, including the 2021March for Life, where he was a featured speaker. He has been described as "staunch pro-life activist", which he in part attributes to his mother's decision to carry him.[290]
Tebow was elected to theCollege Football Hall of Fame on January 9, 2023, and was inducted on December 5, 2023.[291][292]
Tebow is known for his outspokenChristian faith.[293][294] In the Philippines, he preached at schools and villages, and assisted with medical care.[295][296] Tebow supports more than 40 national evangelists working in that nation.[296] In the United States, Tebow hasshared his Christian faith in prisons and schools, to church andyouth groups, and at meetings and conferences.[293][295]
Tebow is a strong advocate for faith-basedabstinence, and has publicly stated that he had maintained hisvirginity before marriage.[297][298] Tebow has spoken multiple times at events presented by theFellowship of Christian Athletes.[299][300]
AnEaster Sunday crowd of roughly 20,000 in Florida listened to Tebow on April 8, 2012. He only briefly mentioned his move from Denver to New York, saying, "Kind of got traded. I'm on another team—excited to be a Jet. Regardless of what happens, I still honor my Lord and SaviorJesus Christ, because at the end of the day, that's what's important, win or lose. ... We need to get back to one nation under God, and be role models for kids."[301][302]
Honoring his commitment to his religious beliefs and his humanitarian work,Liberty University awarded an honorary Doctorate of Humanities to Tebow on May 15, 2021.[303]
Tebow envisioned a foundation to give back to others during his college career, and he, along with otherUniversity of Florida students, created "First and 15", raising funds for Uncle Dick's Orphanage[304][clarification needed] in the Philippines, founded by his father's nonprofit association, the Bob Tebow Evangelistic Association.[295] He also raised money for Shands Hospital pediatric cancer center inGainesville and aDisney trip for disadvantaged children. Upon graduation from University of Florida, Tebow launched the Tim Tebow Foundation in January 2010.[305] In 2013, Tebow was designated aGreat Floridian by Florida GovernorRick Scott in recognition of his "major contributions to the progress and welfare" of Florida.[306]
CURE and the Tebow Foundation announced plans to build a children's hospital in the fall of 2011 in the Philippines, the country where Tebow was born. The Tebow CURE Hospital inDavao City, on the island ofMindanao, holds 30 beds and specializes inorthopedics. CURE's 12th hospital worldwide, they hoped to heal deformities such asclubfoot, untreated burns,hydrocephalus and other conditions correctable with surgery. The cost of the project, $3 million, came from donations fromCURE and the Tebow Foundation. The hospital includes a "Timmy's Playroom".[307]
The Tim Tebow Foundation includes Night to Shine, an event geared towards providing people with developmental and intellectual disabilities a safe space to have a prom.[308]
One thing is for certain: Finding ways to reach out and serve others will always be a part of his life. That includes working with his father's ministry-the Bob Tebow Evangelistic Association-and assisting more than 40 national evangelists working in the Philippines.
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