Tim Tebow: The New Face Of The NFL

Posted: December 13, 2011  David Lamm

Those of us who live on the First Coast take great pride that Tim Tebow is one of us. To say the First Coast has an epidemic of “Tebowmania” is an understatement. To call him our “Favorite Son” is as much a fact as the sun rising in the East. But, incredibly, Tim has become much more than a product of the First Coast. “Tebowmania” is truly nationwide. He’s become America’s “Favorite Son”. He has become the face and the story of America’s game, the NFL.

Sure, the Green Bay Packers are working on perfection, but they take a backseat to Tebow. Obviously America’s love for Tebow is based on his incredible athletic exploits, but the roots of that love go much deeper. The silent majority now has a hero who is the epitome of the term ‘role model’. When you combine his success on the football with his religious conviction, his humility, his caring, his sharing and his charisma, you have the likes of someone truly special. It would be naïve to think we’d even know much about Tebow if he weren’t a football player. He became a local celebrity at Nease High, becoming a blue chip recruit while leading his team to a state title and setting state passing and touchdown records. He thrilled Gator Nation when he chose Florida over Alabama, and then played a key role as a freshman when Florida won the national championship. His fame went nationwide when he won the Heisman Trophy as a sophomore. His name entered the debate as the greatest college player of all time when he quarterbacked the Gators to another national title as a junior.

A 13-1 record and publicly telling the nation he was a virgin as a senior only added to his legacy. Even the incredible controversy surrounding whether or not his game would translate to the pro game added to his iconic status. A rookie season spent mostly on the Denver Broncos’ bench made him the most talked about, loved and disliked football player on the planet. His demotion to third string before this season, his second, made big national news. When he was finally named as the Broncos’ starting quarterback – after many Broncos lobbied for him — critics literally screamed he was nothing more than a run-of-the-mill fullback trying to play quarterback. Since then Tebow has put up poor statistics but helped the Broncos go 7-1. Five times he has led them on fourth quarter comebacks. It has been one near miracle after another. The number of his critics has diminished, but everyone, save for his strongest supporters, remain cautious about buying into his continued success. Meanwhile, Tebow has remained the same humble, loving man, never lashing out at his critics, crediting his teammates and praising the Lord. He seems too good to be true.

My advice to his critics, regardless of where they live, who moan about hearing, seeing and reading too much about him is this: prepare yourself. Chances are you haven’t heard, seen and read anything yet compared with what’s to come.