When Tim Tebow arrived at the University of Florida, the media’s obsession with the Gators’ new quarterback began.
Despite sitting behind Chris Leak, who led Florida to a BCS National Championship in his senior year in the 2006 season, his freshman year, Tebow mania was born.
Fans and the media immediately took to Tebow. He had an aura and mystique that charmed the masses. He played hard, never restrained his emotions, and made the Gators must-see TV. In his four years under center for Florida, he threw for 9,285 yards with 88 TDs and 16 INTs. He also rushed for 2,947 yards and 57 TDs. In 2007, Tebow was an All-American, AP Player of the Year and Heisman Trophy, Davey O’Brien and Maxwell Award winner. He also became the first sophomore in history to win the Heisman.
After leading the Gators to a second 2008 BCS National Championship victory, the Broncos selected him with the 25th pick in the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft. It was a much celebrated selection, but his professional career failed to match the hype. After three seasons in the NFL, Tebow was done.
Since that time, Tebow has remained in the public’s eye. He’s an ESPN college football analyst, philanthropist, 3x NY Times Best Selling Author, and entrepreneur. He was also in the Mets baseball system until earlier this year.
Earlier this week, Tebow was back in the headlines. This time he said he wanted another shot in the NFL. The media immediately connected him with his former Gators coach, Urban Meyer, who’s now the head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars.
And while he has not been signed by the Jaguars, Meyer definitely has him on his radar.
“We have not signed Tim,” Meyer told Cris Collinsworth on his podcast. “There’s a thought going around. He was in the best shape of his life, asked to see if he could work out with a couple of our coaches. I wasn’t even there. And they came back to me and said, ‘Wow, this guy’s in incredible shape.’ Then I went another time and watched them try him out. And they said, ‘Go work on these things.’ He comes back later. They try him out again, I’m not there. They came in and they said, ‘Wow. This guy’s ball skills. He’s a great athlete. He looks like he’s 18 years old not whatever he is, 33. And I said, ‘Guys, you don’t understand, now. This guy is, he’s the most competitive maniac you’re ever gonna talk to. And let’s give it a shot.
“And I have not decided if we’re gonna do that or not yet. Getting close. I gotta’ make a decision here pretty soon.”
The response to his potential return was immediate.
A few called it white privilege. Some NFL players, like cornerback Steve Nelson, congratulated him.
“Naw fr I’m all in on Tebow Ex Qb / outfielder / TE star what a story” tweeted Nelson, who even went as far as to say Tebow would make the Pro Bowl.
Other NFL players expressed frustration and referenced Colin Kaepernick.
“It’s mind blowing to me that Kaepernick has no job but Tebow does. No hate toward Tebow just don’t understand,” tweeted Eagles cornerback Darius Slay.
Dez Bryant echoed Slay’s sentiments but went a little further.
“This is not a slight at Tebow. I’m happy for Tebow and want to see everyone succeed…I am saying to wake up and see what goes on and take care of yours…Pay ATTENTION to what goes on around US and look deeper between the lines,” tweeted Dez. “This is why I preach unity in black society and taking care of US..lifting each other up…It’s more than getting together and running routes and casually linking up it’s about truly connecting to build and create. Controlling what we can control and building our community…”
Tebow is inadvertently caught up in a debate that doesn’t actually revolve around him personally. Rather, it’s targeted at what Tebow, through no fault of his own, represents.
The hypocrisy involving equal opportunity.
What Tebow Represents
Tim Tebow has earned his success. He put the work in and won a state football title in high school. His life is dedicated to giving back, which included taking a mission back to the Philippines where he was born.
Tebow was not born into privilege, and that’s important to note. But that’s not what’s being debated or eliciting scorn.
This is about the frustration people, especially people of color, feel when access and opportunity are gifted to a select few. Particularly to those of a lighter shade.
Tebow hasn’t played football in almost eight years. Yet his potential return has the media salivating and the Jags’ fawning over his conditioning.
But when Colin Kaepernick was in the same position, crickets appeared. The criticisms and false narratives surfaced and circulated, leaving him standing outside of the door that Tebow is currently walking through.
That’s the issue.
Nobody has said that they actually hate Tim Tebow. Nobody has criticized him personally or uncovered a scandal at his foundation. Unfortunately for him, he happens to represent a sore spot that often plagues people of color.
Many support, and have supported, Tebow over his career. In some ways, it’s almost a blind support that camouflages his average quarterback talent. It’s a support that essentially elevated his persona over the championship-winning talents of Chris Leak at Florida. It’s what convinced fans he was a starting NFL quarterback in Denver and New York.
This is similar to the situation faced by Black NFL head coaches. They get one shot at being a head coach and seldom receive a second one. But white head coaches get recycled in a system that overlooks their failures and, in some cases, rewards them despite their shortcomings.
Tim Tebow is a good athlete and a good guy, but he’s not an NFL quarterback or MLB player.
He’s lived his life with purpose, succeeding and giving back consistently. That’s irrefutable.
But what Tim Tebow represents stings those who have also worked hard, overcome challenges, succeeded, given back and stayed in shape.
And aside from some of the ducks he threw in the NFL, that’s what hurts the most to see.
