Apr 282 min read

The Greatest of the Maxwell Football Club: Tim Tebow

Family, Faith, and Football. Those are the pillars of a life lived, past and present, by one of the greatest college quarterbacks ever to play the game - Tim Tebow.

One of the most decorated collegiate gunslingers in the history of college football, Tebow arrived at the University of Florida in 2006 and was a backup to starting QB Chris Leak. In his freshman season, Tebow accounted for 13 touchdowns as the Gators won the national championship. Tebow was named to the SEC All-Freshman Team.

In 2007, Florida head coach Urban Meyer named Tebow the starter at the most important position on the field. And Tebow did not disappoint. In his second season in Gainesville, Tebow passed for 3,132 yards and rushed for 828 yards, accounting for 51 total touchdowns. He threw just six INTs. For his efforts, Tebow won the Heisman Trophy, the first sophomore to ever win the award, the Maxwell Award, and the Davey O’Brien Award that season.

As a junior in 2008, Tebow was the favorite to win the Heisman again. Not since Ohio State running back Archie Griffin in 1974-1975 had a player won back-to-back Heisman Trophies. Tebow finished that season with 3,420 total yards and 42 touchdowns but did not hoist the Heisman. He did win the Maxwell Award for the second consecutive season, one of only two players to win the award twice. Tebow was named 1st Team All-SEC.

Having returned for his senior season in 2009, Tebow picked up where he left off from an offensive production standpoint. Tebow passed for 2,895 yards, 21 touchdowns, and only five INTs. In addition, he rushed for 910 yards and another 14 TDs. Tebow was named 1st Team All-SEC, 2nd Team All-American, and SEC Offensive Player of the Year.

In addition, Tebow was named College Football Player of the Decade by Sports Illustrated.

For his illustrious college career, Tebow is credited with 9,285 yards, 88 touchdowns, and 16 INTs. In addition, Tebow added 2,947 rushing yards and 57 TDs.

After playing a handful of years in both the NFL and minor league baseball, Tebow’s passion is the Tim Tebow Foundation, a philanthropic organization that provides support to children with special needs, orphans, and victims of human trafficking. Tebow’s organization created a “Night to Shine,” which is a prom held in a safe environment for special needs children.

Tim Tebow is a man of strong Christian faith, an inspiration to all, and one who lives his life in the service of others, in the pursuit of all that is good in the world, to achieve something bigger than fame, bigger than himself. But from 2006 to 2009 at the Swamp in Gainesville, Florida, there was no athlete on the gridiron, bigger or better, than Tim Tebow.

This article is part of the "Greatest of the Maxwell Football Club" Series, sponsored by the Maxwell Football Club. Click one of the links below for more in the "Greatest of the Maxwell Football Club" series.

Greatest of the Maxwell Football Club: Johnny Lattner

Greatest of the Maxwell Football Club: Herschel Walker

Greatest of the Maxwell Football Club: Peyton Manning

Greatest of the Maxwell Football Club: Archie Griffin