Tim Tebow is no Charles Barkley.
The Jets backup quarterback drew a crowd of 26,000 to Qualcomm Stadium, and told the Father’s Day crowd he wanted to be viewed as more than an athlete.
“One of the most frustrating things – and last time I said it, I got a lot of flak for it, but it doesn’t bother me too much. There are a lot of role models. There just aren’t a lot of good ones,” Tebow said, according to U-T San Diego. “If we would come together and be great role models, it would be amazing to see how the next generation turns out.”
Tebow spoke for 35 minutes with the pastor of Shadow Mountain Community Church, talking about role models and whether Christians can also be “real men.”
He’s never backed away from that side of the equation, speaking openly about his responsibilities as a public figure.
And whether Tedy Bruschi likes it or not, or whether you agree with his public pronouncements of faith, arguing in favor of setting a good example for young people is admirable. And it’s also part of what makes Tebow so popular with a large swath of America that doesn’t care a thing about his passer rating.