Tim Tebow biography

Synopsis

Early Years

Tim Tebow, the youngest of five children, was born on August 14, 1987, in Makati City in the Philippines to American parents who were there as Baptist missionaries. Tebow was later homeschooled by his mother, who instilled in him the family's Christian beliefs throughout his early years. Those beliefs became a large part of Tebow's life and have often colored the media's coverage of him.

College Football Career

In 2006, Tebow received an athletic scholarship to attend the University of Florida to play for its famed football team, the Gators. He spent his freshman year as a backup, but was named the team's starting quarterback at the start of the 2007 season. That year he won, among other honors, the Heisman Trophy (for outstanding all-around player) and the Davey O'Brien Award (for outstanding quarterback).

Running the "wildcat offense," an unpredictable formation in which the quarterback can be an active rushing threat, Tebow set numerous records in the 2007 season, including the Gators' single-game QB rushing yards (166) and records for SEC season rushing touchdowns (20), career high single-game rushing touchdowns (5), and SEC season total touchdowns (passing and rushing; 55).

In 2008, Tebow led his team to victory in the BSC National Championship game and was named the winner of a slew of athletic awards.

Move to the NFL

Standing 6'3" tall and weighing around 240 pounds, Tim Tebow was referred to by one NFL coach as "the strongest human being that's ever played the position [of quarterback]." He was chosen by the Denver Broncos in the first round of the 2010 draft and signed a five-year contract to play second string behind Broncos QB Kyle Orton.

After a 1–4 start to the 2011 season, Tebow replaced Orton as the Broncos' starting quarterback. In his first start, he led the Broncos to a come-from-behind 18–15 overtime victory against the Miami Dolphins, after being down 15–0 with less than three minutes left in the game. Tebow led the team to six wins in their next eight games and into the playoffs. The Broncos beat the Pittsburgh Steelers in the wild-card game of the playoffs before losing to the New England Patriots in the division championship game, ending Tebow’s first season as the Broncos starting quarterback.

A few months after the season came to an end, in March 2012, Tebow was traded to the New York Jets in a firestorm of media attention and scrutiny. There was much debate as to whether he would replace Mark Sanchez as the team's starting quarterback. However, as the football season began, Sanchez remained in the leading position. Tebow only played briefly during the Jets' first game against the Buffalo Bills in September 2012—a pattern that would prove to be consistent throughout the rest of the season.