#3 Tim Tebow

Tim Tebow leads Denver to incredible playoff victory, languishes after trade to New York

After an incredible string of comeback victories during the 2011 season, Tim Tebow led the Denver Broncos to a first-round playoff victory against the Pittsburgh Steelers in spectacular fashion. On January 8 in Denver, Tebow threw for a career high 316 yards including an 80-yard touchdown pass to Demariyius Thomas on the first play of overtime for the 29-23 victory.

Tebow couldn’t muster the same magic against eventual the New England Patriots (and eventual AFC champions) but was named the starting quarterback for 2012 training camp. That all changed on March 21 when the Broncos signed free agent Peyton Manning and traded Tebow to the New York Jets for a pair of draft picks.

The 2012 season turned out to be more tumultuous for Tebow than anything he had experienced in his career. The Jets rarely used him—mostly on short yardage packages and on special teams—and the quarterback situation in New York became a running joke within the media and the NFL fan base.

Despite the disappointing circumstance, Tebow remained true to his Christian values and took many opportunities to serve others through his foundation and was always willing to share his faith publicly.

“The message I always try to get across in speaking to various groups is that I am no different than anyone else in the room, despite what people may think because I am a football player,” Tebow once told me. “When I’ve gone to the Philippines with my dad and hung out with the kids at the orphanage, that’s kept me from letting my whole life get wrapped up in what’s going to happen on fourth down instead of thinking what a blessing it is to have the athletic ability to go out there and play football. That takes a lot of pressure off. It lets me go out there and enjoy playing and have fun.”