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Tim Tebow Talked About Tebowing, Doing 400 Pushups A Day And 94 Million People Googling A Bible Verse Because Of Him

Tim Tebow, the New York Jets backup quarterback/folk hero/winner, spoke in front of 26,000 people at Qualcomm Stadium on Sunday, as part of a Father’s Day service for Shadow Mountain Community Church. The church rented out the stadium, anticipating the large crowd. As you might imagine, he openly discussed his faith, as well as recounting some interesting stories about his time as a Florida Gator and Denver Bronco.

Watch the video:

Some highlights:

Re: Role Models:

“That is honestly my dream and my passion, to be a great role model for the next generations and the boys that are looking up to me, that their dream is to go play quarterback and be a football player. That I can be a good role model for them.”

“There are a lot of role models, there just aren’t a lot of good ones.”

The pastor made a point to talk about although Charles Barkley called himself a poor role model, Barkley is one, “just not the one we want to follow.”

On Tebowing:

“What’s so funny is, for the last seven years, since my senior year in high school, I’ve had the same routine… not because anyone would see, but because that’s a time for me to try and humble myself before I go and I play a game.”

Tebow says he has no idea how it got so big. When he first saw someone Tebowing after sacking him, he was confused.

“Is that mocking me or praising me? I guess that’s a good thing, if he’s really praying, but…

Ultimately, he’s fine with the Tebowing craze.

“At least prayer is being talked about, and I think that’s a good thing.”

We also got a taste of little Timmy, who apparently was just as hard of a worker then as he is now. Tebow’s dad wouldn’t let him lift weights when he was a little kid, but already knowing he wanted to be a pro quarterback, Tim did as much as he was allowed to do. He would do 400 pushups and 400 sit-ups per day as an “8,9,10,11″ year-old, because he thought it would make him a better football player.

“When I was young, I didn’t really understand the concept of rest.”

Later, Tebow discussed how he started putting a bible verse on his eyeblack. Apparently, it was just on a whim, and he didn’t think much of it. Right before the 2008, SEC Championship game, he felt the need to change the verse that had gotten them to that point.

“So, we’re five minutes before the game, we’re sitting in the locker room, one of the biggest games I’ve ever played in and God puts it on my heart to change the verse. I’m like, ‘Really, now?’”

“I start thinking about it, and I’m like, ‘God, if we win this game, we’re gonna be playing in the national championship game, and I’ll switch the verse to whatever you put on my heart.’”

The Gators won and moved on to the National Championship game, with a six-week break in between.

“The whole time I’m thinking, not if we’re gonna win or we’re gonna lose or how good Oklahoma is, but, what verse am I gonna wear under my eyes?”

“And it keeps coming to my heart, John 3:16, because, as a Christian, that’s the essence of our Christianity; that’s the essence of our hope.

After Tebow and Co. beat the Sooners, a Gators PR employee went up to Tebow and told him that during the game, 94 million people Googled John 3:16.

“And the first thing that came to my mind was: ‘How the heck do 94 million people not know John 3:16?’”

That’s a pretty ridiculous comment considering the U.S.’s non-Christian population, but I suppose Tebow was just trying to make a point.

He went on to discuss last year’s NFL playoffs, where he believes there was some divine intervention during the Broncos first-round win over the Steelers. As he walked off the field, a Broncos PR employee asked him if he had realized what just happened. Tebow’s response: “Yeah, we just beat the Steelers!”

PR Guy:

“No. On that last pass to DT (Demaryus Thomas), you threw for 316 yards. And your yards per rush attempt were 3.16. And your yards per completion were 31.6. And our time of possession…was 31.6. And the spike of the ratings that night was 31.6. And, so, it was just… I mean, it could only have been a God thing.”

For the record, the box score shows that Tebow averaged five yards per carry. We can’t be sure about the ratings, but the passing yards, yards-per-completion and time-of-possession numbers were all accurate. Which is certainly a funny coincidence.

Finally, Tebow discussed “the greatest moment (he’s) had in playing sports… better than any Heisman Trophy, National Championship or playoff run.”

Following his second National Championship win, Urban Meyer approached him on the sideline, gave him a warm hug and offered some praise:

“Timmy, I love you. I’m proud of you; you finished strong.”

Tebow called Meyer a “father figure,” and talked about his hopes to relive that moment, this time with someone a bit different than his former coach.

“One day, I’m gonna stand before Jesus Christ. And my ultimate goal, is that he pulls off his headset and opens his arms wide, and says: ‘Timmy, I love you. I’m proud of you; you finished strong.”

So, America: What do you think about Tebow’s candid discussion of his faith? Sound off in the comments.

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