In 2011, a Detroit Lions linebacker sacked Tim Tebow and chose to celebrate by mocking Tebow’s famed kneeling prayer pose. Later in the game, another Lions player did the same, using his touchdown celebration to make fun of Tebow's prayer pose.
At the time, the media didn’t scold the Lions. Instead, they chided Christians for being "too easily offended." The Lions players pretended that they weren’t making fun of God, despite the fact that they were making jokes intended to humiliate Christians.
Sports have always been about excellence and virtue, values that don't align with DEI and leftist ideologies.
That season was a difficult year for Tebow.
While he scored the coveted role of starting quarterback for the Denver Broncos, he also became one of the most ridiculed professional athletes. Jake Plummer, a former Broncos quarterback, said that he would “rather not have to hear” about Tebow’s faith. Broncos chief of football operations John Elway was also icy and unwelcoming toward the young, new quarterback.
At the time, many sports commentators and football fans went out of their way to make fun of Tebow’s faith. It was constantly used against him through memes and disingenuous critiques of his athletic abilities. Even "Saturday Night Live" aired a skit in which Jesus appeared in the Broncos' locker room, making fun of the saying that “Jesus was helping Tebow win games.”
Major media outlets were silent, and any defense of Tebow typically was met with an eye-rolling allegation of "not being able to take a joke."
In the years after Tebow, there was a quiet uncertainty as to how Christian athletes would be received for openly expressing their faith.
But nearly 15 years after he became ESPN’s favorite joke, it's now clear that Tebow blazed a trail for a new generation of expressive Christian athletes.
Earlier this month, for example, Justin Fields, the new quarterback for the New York Jets, said that he is “low-key addicted to getting into [his] Bible.” New England Patriots running back TreVeyon Henderson said that “God calls me to work as heartily as for Him, not to please men.” And several players for the Arizona State Sun Devils football team were recently baptized and started attending a team Bible study together, openly expressing their faith in interviews.
These are just a few of the countless examples of football players following in Tebow's footsteps, publicly embracing their Christian faith. Call it the "Tebow effect."
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This "Tebow effect" comes despite the NFL's decision to embrace wokeism.
The NFL has heavily promoted LGBTQ Pride nights, celebrated transgender cheerleaders, and, infamously, painted "End Racism" in field end zones when the BLM movement swept the nation.
The NFL’s woke agenda felt particularly suspicious in the years following the Tebow controversy. In fact, it felt as if Christian fans were intentionally being alienated from the sport. Perhaps it is no coincidence that the NFL experienced significant ratings hits when players kneeled during the national anthem and when the league virtue-signaled during the pandemic and at the height of the BLM mania.
But seeing professional athletes openly express their Christian faith helps mend the wounds of wokeism. It allows viewers to build relationships with players through the joy of shared faith. Even better, to see athletes profess their Christian faith makes them feel more authentic, proving they're not just cogs in a corporate conglomerate.
Fortunately, football players aren't the only athletes to publicly embrace their Christian faith.
Sports are a reflection of God’s gifts, built through the dedication and reverence encouraged through the Bible.
The Savannah Bananas, an exhibition baseball team, have become a cultural phenomenon as they continuously sell out MLB ballparks across the country. And as the team’s popularity rapidly expands, players have never shied away from their Christian faith.
Players paint crosses on their cheeks and write Bible verses on their bats and helmets, and many members are actively involved in a team-wide Bible study. Their Christian faith has encouraged them to create a family-friendly experience, where children aren’t exposed to unsavory content for mature audiences.
This year, the Texas Rangers stood up to MLB when they decided to be the only team not hosting a Pride night. Although they are only one team among dozens, this bold act represents a shift away from liberal, anti-Christian messaging.
Sports have always been about excellence and virtue, values that don't align with DEI and leftist ideologies. Sports are a reflection of God’s gifts, built through the dedication and reverence encouraged through the Bible.
It makes sense, then, that many athletes have turned to a life of Christ instead of a life of "co-exist" and "tolerance" bumper stickers.
Tebow helped blaze the trail that made this possible, and fortunately, he has found quiet vindication.
After he and his wife welcomed their first daughter, he posted a video of her lying across his chest while he worked on his laptop. It was a humbling moment, one familiar to new dads. It also showed that, despite having endured so much ridicule for his faith, Tebow gets to rejoice in the joys of family and grace.
As it turns out, the joke wasn't on Tebow — it was on those who thought Christian faith could be mocked into silence.
Last Tuesday evening, my wife and I settled in for our annual fall ritual: the premiere of “Hard Knocks.” Some couples watch sitcoms. We bond over football. When Liev Schreiber’s voice kicks in, summer is slipping away, and the beer fridge is filling up.
We’ve watched for years, but this season felt different. The cameras didn’t linger on helmets crashing or coaches barking. Instead, they caught quieter moments: a player brushing off sweat, another flipping open a devotional. The message wasn’t painted in the end zone. It was lived out on the field.
End-zone paint doesn’t move people. Faith lived out in the open does.
That stands in sharp contrast to the NFL’s other big announcement: the return of slogans painted in end zones — “End Racism,” “It Takes All of Us,” and other socially conscious slogans. The league insists they matter. The results? Unclear. A stenciled phrase doesn’t change lives. A lived-out faith does.
Consider New York Jets quarterback Justin Fields. He recently admitted, “I’m low-key addicted to getting in my Bible.” He credits that daily habit for keeping him grounded when the noise grows loud.
In Houston, Coach DeMeco Ryans has helped make Bible studies a regular feature for the Texans. Nearly 40 players, coaches, and staff now attend. Quarterback C.J. Stroud thanks “my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ” during interviews. NBC cut that phrase from a broadcast last season, but it hasn’t stopped him from saying it again.
“Hard Knocks” has become the best proof yet. In the first episode, backup cornerback Christian Benford prayed over an injured rookie, his words audible as trainers worked: “Heavenly Father, please give him strength. ... As we’re weak, bless everything we do. ... In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.”
HBO aired the prayer uncut. No sound bite, no irony — just a moment of faith in full view of teammates and millions of fans.
Episode two showed Damar Hamlin praying, thanking God for “focus, fellowship, brotherhood.” His devotional book sat in his hands, battered and beloved. Its frayed edges testified louder than any press release.
It’s impossible not to recall Tim Tebow. A decade ago, he was mocked for praying on the field. “Tebowing” became a late-night punchline. But Tebow’s courage made public faith in football possible. Today, players pray without irony — and with far less ridicule.
RELATED: The culture war isn’t a distraction — it’s the main front
The league points to its Inspire Change program, which has directed more than $460 million to nonprofits. Good. But the slogans? They’re background noise. As the Babylon Bee joked, “NFL Hoping 3rd Year of ‘End Racism’ Painted in End Zone Will Do the Trick.” The gag works because it highlights the gulf between gestures and genuine transformation.
The real transformation is happening elsewhere: in chapels, prayer huddles, and well-worn Bibles. These acts don’t just polish the league’s image. They shape the men who play the game — building character, humility, and unity in a way a slogan never could.
Sitting on the couch with my wife, I felt the difference. End-zone paint doesn’t move people. Faith lived out in the open does.
Painted slogans fade. Prayer changes hearts. If the NFL wants to inspire change, it should keep showing the moments that can’t be scripted — players living out their faith with quiet acts of devotion, one prayer at a time, and far more enduring than any PR campaign.
Former NFL quarterback Tim Tebow urged congressional hearing members to pass legislation that funds Homeland Security Investigations and other tools he said are needed to help locate missing children.
In front of the House Judiciary Committee's subcommittee on Crime and Federal Government Surveillance, Tebow explained that the number of children who are missing and suffering from sexual abuse is more than twice what he had originally learned.
"20,000 boys and girls that have been abused and raped, their images and videos have been captured, but nobody has been able to identify them, they're unknown until someone knows them," Tebow told lawmakers. After gathering with representatives of Homeland Security, Interpol, Google, and more, Tebow said that he quickly learned that the number "was over 50,000."
"How do we protect them? And that's where Operation Renewed Hope was born," he explained. The Tim Tebow Foundation recently announced that it had rescued hundreds of children after a three-week "surge" of investigations into child abuse. Through the operation, the foundation successfully located "311 probable identifications of previously unknown victims, including 14 positive contacts and confirmed the rescue of several victims from active abuse."
The number was updated to 316 by the time of the hearing a week later.
"Why would we not give as much if not more resources to the frontline heroes that are going after the most vulnerable boys and girls on the planet?" Tebow asked. "Operation Renewed Hope identified that 316, and out of all those that were rescued more than half of them were right here in the U.S., and when you extrapolate those numbers that means that there's thousands of boys and girls that are starving for hope in our backyard and we have the chance to bring hope to those that are starving for it," he added.
\u26a0\ufe0f Viewer Discretion Advised: \u201cVoice for the Voiceless\u201d House Judiciary Committee Hearing Testimony on behalf of child sexual abuse victims \n\nLast night, I got a message from a girl who has been rescued and she said, \u201cthank you so much for speaking up for us\u201d\u2026and it was\u2026— (@)
Tebow's foundation said that it hopes to build a bill for congressional approval that helps fund tools to locate missing children. Chief among these tools is the International Child Sexual Exploitation database, operated by Interpol.
The system uses digital, visual, and audio content of photographs and videos to try and identify clues to where a child may be located. It also identifies overlaps in system data about any existing cases.
"Using image and video comparison software, investigators are instantly able to make connections between victims, abusers, and places," Interpol said.
The former college football star's foundation is asking supporters to send a letter to Congress with a form's prewritten text revealing more about what the foundation hopes to achieve through legislation.
"The workforce fighting these crimes simply isn’t big enough ... It is imperative that Congress takes proactive measures to expand law enforcement's ability to identify child victims, investigate, and prosecute offenders at scale," the text read.
The foundation urged Congress to support legislation that focuses "victim identification within law enforcement" and funding that deploys analysts internationally.
Additionally, it asked to expand HSI and Interpol's training capabilities because "American victims' images are shared by computers around the world."
Lastly, the foundation wishes to modernize the ICSE database to "keep pace" with the growing issue of child exploitation.
"The safety and well-being of our children must be a top priority, and I implore you to take meaningful action to address this urgent issue. These children are waiting," the form added.
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Former NFL quarterback Tim Tebow will testify about child sex abuse in front of the House Judiciary Committee's subcommittee on Crime and Federal Government Surveillance.
The committee, headed by Republican chairman Andy Biggs (Ariz.), is set to hear from Tebow about the work of his foundation and the apparent increase of child sex abuse material being distributed across the United States.
The Tim Tebow Foundation has worked with Homeland Security Investigations to find victims of child sex abuse and will share the group's work with the government committee, OutKick reported.
Tebow's foundation collaborated with HSI in 2023's Operation Renewed Hope, which was reportedly a three-week "surge" of investigations into child abuse, Fox News reported. Through the operation, the foundation successfully located "311 probable identifications of previously unknown victims, including 14 positive contacts and confirmed the rescue of several victims from active abuse."
The foundation claimed that the investigations were considered to be "the most successful operation of its kind," which used partners across the world to crack down on global networks.
Tebow issued a statement saying that he was "so grateful to work alongside so many heroes in law enforcement from around the world and for the blessing of being a part of ‘Operation Renewed Hope.'"
"Reflecting on this operation, and the incredible life-changing work being done, I think of the renewed hope for so many of these boys and girls," Tebow continued. "The best definition I’ve ever heard of the biblical form of hope is to look forward with confidence, anticipation, and expectation, and I can only imagine that for so many of these children suffering through this abuse that they probably had lost all hope and had little reason to look forward."
The Donald Trump administration has given more than 35 million dollars to aid human trafficking victims and combat human trafficking.\nWilliam Barr, Ivanka Trump, and Tim Tebow held a panel discussion on fighting against human trafficking.— (@)
In 2023, Tebow said that he wanted to find "every way possible" to combat the "evil" that is human trafficking. He also called it "one of the faster-growing businesses in the world," and added that despite what people may think, crimes are happening in "nice" areas inside America.
"Some of the different campaigns and videos that we've actually shot, we’ve done it in neighborhoods that have been really nice, because we wanted to say, ‘Look, in this neighborhood, in this area, it’s been right here,'" Tebow explained.
"And you know, because sometimes people have to open their eyes. This isn’t just something that’s taking place in a third world country. It is taking place in those third world countries, but it is also taking place right here in America," he concluded.
At the time, Tebow cited that there were 50,000 boys and girls who have been abused "in such severe ways" and that "nobody has been able to identify or locate them."
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Churches around the world hosted extraordinary prom night experiences for people with special needs Friday night.
"It's a dream come true to see so many people come together from around the world to experience this one night, and to see each face reflect the love of Christ in their joyful smiles and beautiful spirits," retired Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow tweeted Friday during one of the events.
\u201cIt's a dream come true to see so many come together around the world to experience Night to Shine on this one night & to see each face reflect the love of Christ in their joyful smiles & beautiful spirits.\n\nSo thankful to have a front row seat & watch God at work, truly humbling!\u201d— Tim Tebow (@Tim Tebow) 1676039631
More than 600 churches in 46 countries offered Night to Shine events, Miss Universe and Miss South Africa 2017, Demi-Leigh Tebow, tweeted on the eve of the big night. Demi-Leigh Tebow is Tim Tebow's wife.
For the first time since 2020, Night to Shine was held in person this year, to the delight of all. Distanced celebrations were held during the COVID pandemic.
Participants who were unable to attend Night to Shine in person were able to experience the event virtually.
"We still feel in person is best, but there are those like my own son, where right now in their life, going to an in-person event where it's really loud and really big, really bright with lots of people is an impossibility," said Ellen Gardner, mom of a Night to Shine King and TTF Shine On Manager.
\u201cThere is still time to be a part of the #NightToShine Virtual Celebration! Visit https://t.co/0sMOghfqDQ to learn more!\u201d— Tim Tebow Foundation (@Tim Tebow Foundation) 1675997100
"COVID can cancel a lot of things, but it can't cancel worth and value and love for people," first underclassman Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow said when announcing 2023's event.
Night to Shine 2023 is BACK IN PERSON! youtu.be
"Seeing the faces of thousands of Kings and Queens light up as they are loved and celebrated…knowing each one of them is being shown the truth that they are significant, valuable, and loved…I can't help but be emotional," Tebow said in a tweet.
Night to Shine is a complimentary event sponsored by local churches worldwide, according to the Tim Tebow Foundation. The prom-like events for people aged 14 and older with special needs include red carpet entrances, limousine rides, catered dinners, a respite room for parents and caregivers, and a crowning ceremony where each guest receives a crown or tiara.
Night to Shine is a project of the Tim Tebow Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charity. The organization's mission is "to bring faith, hope and love to those needing a brighter day in their darkest hour of need." It is part of the organization's larger special needs ministry.
The Foundation's other projects include anti-human trafficking efforts, orphan care, and providing physical and spiritual care for children with profound medical needs,
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U.S. women's soccer star Megan Rapinoe lives in the protected space created by social media's glorification of the BLM-LGBTQ+, the Alphabet Mafia.
Rapinoe is untouchable. She can't be criticized or questioned without fear of social media retribution. Her actions and motives are all assumed to be pure and driven by a purpose much greater than your own.
That's why most of the mainstream media summarily rejected and/or ignored Hope Solo's recent critique of Rapinoe. On Monday, Solo, a former member of the U.S. Women's National Soccer Team, claimed that Rapinoe subtly forced other soccer players to kneel during the national anthem. Solo said Rapinoe "almost bullied" her teammates to support Colin Kaepernick's kneeling publicity stunt.
"I think the kneeling thing can be very divisive," Solo said during a podcast interview. "I've seen Megan Rapinoe almost bully players into kneeling because she really wants to stand up for something in her particular way."
The purple-haired Rapinoe is a darling of corporate media. She's engaged to WNBA star Sue Bird. In the sports world, they are the ultimate power couple, a symbol of LGBTQ perfection.
Only a homophobe or a bigot would dare question the actions, motives, and agenda of Megan Rapinoe. So few people do. And certainly no one who aspires to work in corporate media would even consider taking Solo's allegation seriously. So few people did.
Instead, the immediate reaction was to point out that Solo was booted off the USWNT months before Kaepernick and Rapinoe began kneeling during the fall of 2016, the inference being that there was no way for Solo to know or see what Rapinoe did to win the support of her teammates. Yesterday, USA Today published a story hammering this point.
Yep. No way Solo has communicated with any of her former teammates over the last five years. Former teammates don't gossip and chat. I get that Solo said "I've seen." She's speaking loosely during an informal podcast interview. It's easy to misspeak or exaggerate in that setting.
Beyond that, anyone who has been following the Kaepernick controversy the last five years knows that many kneeling participants have been bullied. The threat has been clear: Kneel or be labeled racist.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones was bullied into kneeling. Jones is an old billionaire. How much easier is it to bully a young athlete who lacks Jones' financial security? What percentage of NFL and NBA players do you think authentically believed in taking a knee during the national anthem?
The BLM-LGBTQ+ Alphabet Mafia stuck a gun to everyone's heads and made athletes offers they couldn't refuse. Everyone saw what happened to Saints quarterback Drew Brees when he offered tepid resistance. He was shot in the streets like Sonny Corleone in the original "Godfather" movie.
We've created a world where Alphabet Mafia members can't be questioned at all, but athletes such as Tim Tebow can be ridiculed with impunity. ESPN, the self-proclaimed "Worldwide Leader in Sports," has spent the past decade analyzing and criticizing Tebow's motives and actions. The devout Christian knelt in prayer after big plays and touchdowns. He was the anti-Kaepernick long before Kaepernick became a polarizing figure and household name.
Tebow's cult of personality was much larger than his on-field performance warranted and a problem for his coaches to corral. His NFL career flamed out nearly a decade ago. This year, Tebow and his former college coach, Urban Meyer, resuscitated the Heisman Trophy winner's football career. At 34 years old, Tebow signed a deal to be a backup tight end for the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Both Tebow's and Meyer's motives were critiqued and questioned. ESPN's Stephen A. Smith accused Tebow and Meyer of exemplifying white privilege. Other broadcasters thought so little of Meyer's character that they claimed Meyer would give Tebow a regular-season roster spot whether he deserved it or not.
On Monday, Tebow was among the first players cut by the Jags and Meyer. Stephen A. Smith again claimed "white privilege" benefitted Tebow.
Would any of this be said about Megan Rapinoe? She's white.
If Tebow championed homosexuality, atheism, and Black Lives Matter, would any ESPN broadcasters have the courage to criticize him?
The U.S. women's soccer team turned in an embarrassing performance in the Tokyo Olympics, finishing in third place. It was supposed to be the Dream Team of women's soccer, arguably the most talented team ever assembled. Hope Solo strongly insinuated the team failed to win the gold medal because Rapinoe's agenda interfered with team chemistry.
"I think that's really hard being on the main stage right now with so many political issues for athletes," Solo said. "There's a lot of pressure, and ultimately at the end of the day, our number one focus should and has always been to win first."
Did the U.S. women lose because they were focused on politics rather than competition? It's a fair question. It makes sense. No country has spent more money on developing female soccer players than the United States.
Had the men's basketball team lost, the members would have been pilloried 24 hours a day, because they don't have the kind of triple Alphabet Mafia protection as Megan Rapinoe. She's female, gay, and pretends to worship Saint George Floyd.It takes some sort of cynicism to hate on Tim Tebow. I don't understand it. I don't identify with it. People keep waiting for him to do something wrong, but all he has done in the 15 years since we've known him is try hard, respect others, be a good person, and publicly profess a love of God.
Somehow, things have gotten so messed up that that message does not sit well with a lot of people on Twitter, on ESPN, or wherever else bogus social justice sells. To me, Tebow is an American hero.
Tebow was cut Tuesday by the Jacksonville Jaguars and his former college coach, Urban Meyer. He will not be a backup tight end earning the NFL league minimum after all.
"Thankful for the highs and even the lows, the opportunities, the setbacks," Tebow wrote on Twitter. "I've never wanted to make decisions out of fear of failure and I'm grateful for the chance to have pursued a dream."
Some of our leading bogus social justice mobsters portrayed him as a gimmick and a fake. When Tebow was given the chance to try out, Stephen A. Smith of ESPN's "First Take" huffed and puffed: "Is this not an example of white privilege? What brother you know is getting this opportunity?"
Jemele Hill of the Atlantic said Tebow was getting an opportunity that Colin Kaepernick never got, with the implication that it was because Tebow is white, Kaepernick black.
And after Tebow was cut, FoxSports1's Shannon Sharpe of "Undisputed" said Meyer had to cut Tebow "to save some credibility and maintain his voice in that locker room … I just hate that somebody missed the opportunity because Urban gave a friend, a former player of his, an opportunity that I don't believe he deserved. Someone else deserved that opportunity but they didn't get it."
Wrong, wrong, and wrong. Tebow did nothing wrong here. No one lost a job because of him. He was an obvious and deserving choice for a tryout.
Meyer did nothing wrong, either. No one got hurt. He did not have to save face.
Social justice was supposed to be a positive thing, standing up for people without the power to stand up for themselves. That has crossed over into making villains out of others, where a white man who believes in and serves God is the devil.
This has such anti-religious overtones, casting someone with open religious and charitable beliefs as phony, weird, and cult-like.
Tebow is a former NFL quarterback and great athlete who proved that he could break a tackle. That in itself was reason enough to justify seeing if he could be a third-string tight end.
He is a high-character, inspirational athlete. As the quarterback for the Denver Broncos years ago, it was clear that he didn't have the traditional quarterback skills, the throwing motion or accuracy. Yet he kept finding a way to win at the end.
Why? Because Tebow believes in faith, believes in miracles. And when his teammates stood next to him in the locker room, or on the line of scrimmage with the Broncos needing a touchdown, he made them believe, too.
White privilege? Tebow was a proven winner, a locker room panacea on a Jacksonville team that needed one, a strong, fine-tuned body.
He was not only an obvious choice, but also he surely helped to set the tone of the team in Meyer's first year in Jacksonville.
And the comparison between Tebow and Kaepernick is preposterous. Kaepernick makes a living by playing up to the bogus social justice mob.
After being blackballed in the NFL for not standing for the national anthem, Kaepernick was given another chance eventually. He sabotaged it by not showing up for his tryout. He does not want to play in the NFL, as it would jeopardize his career as a victim.
By contrast, Tebow was not given another shot at quarterback. He was given a chance to try out as a third-string, minimum-salary tight end. He risked embarrassment and humiliation by trying out, especially with the mob telling him he didn't belong and was taking someone else's spot.
If Kaepernick played in the NFL again, he would be championed endlessly no matter how poorly he played. It would be portrayed as a step forward in society. If Tebow had made the Jaguars, he would have been chastised for working hard and trying to do right.
As for Meyer and the Jaguars, well, there was a business decision in there, too. Tebow was a star at the University of Florida while playing for Meyer, and Jacksonville fans were mad that the Jaguars didn't draft him. They were mad again when the Jaguars let the New York Jets get him from Denver.
So Meyer surely was trying to mend fences with his new fan base. But Meyer knows how cutthroat football is and how slim the margin for victory. He would not waste a valuable roster spot on a gimmick.
He gave Tebow a legitimate look and cut him legitimately. Tebow was thankful for the opportunity. It was as simple as that.
So the cynics can celebrate now. But Tebow had the guts to try. He is the perfect storm for the bogus social justice mobsters: a good person, respecting others, taking a chance, and believing in God.
I guess to some people, that's a bad thing. To me, it's heroic.
College football made its triumphant return to television screens across America this past weekend — and it did not disappoint. Whether it was Lee Corso’s final College GameDay mascot head selection or the down-to-the-wire thriller between Notre Dame and Miami, the 2025 season debut was everything fans were hoping for and more. But amid this […]
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