On December 9 2007 2007 Heisman winner Tim Tebow
When Florida quarterback Tim Tebow became the first sophomore to win the Heisman Trophy in 2006, he joined a fraternity of very exclusive college football stars. But Tebow said his biggest thrill while attending the Heisman Trophy ceremony in New York was standing shoulder to shoulder with his boyhood idol, former Florida quarterback Danny Wuerffel. Wuerffel won the 1996 Heisman Trophy after leading the Gators to their first national championship in football. “Standing next to Danny Wuerffel was something I’ll never forget,” Tebow said. “He was definitely one of my role models growing up and was the reason I ended up being a huge Gators fan growing up. We’re not very similar on the field, but we’re very similar with how we handle ourselves off the field. That’s why I really respected him, watching how he handled himself off the field with his humility and character. That’s what really made him my role model.” Like Wuerffel, Tebow has used the recognition he earned from winning the Heisman Trophy as a platform for spreading his message of faith. Wuerffel opened Desire Street Ministries in New Orleans after retiring from the NFL. Tebow has ministered to inmates in prisons, spoken at churches and worked at his father’s orphanage in the Philippines. During Florida’s 24-14 victory over Oklahoma in the 2009 BCS National Championship Game, Tebow wore the Bible verse John 3:16 in the black tape under his eyes. That night, more than 90 million people searched the verse on Google. “Because of my name recognition and because of who I am, I’ve been given an opportunity to go places where most other people can’t go,” Tebow said. “I can go into prisons and speak, and no one will say anything. I can go into schools and speak, and they’ll love to have me. I can go to all these different places because of who I am as a football player. That’s a platform the Lord has given me, and I think it’s my responsibility to take advantage of it.”
— Mark Schlabach
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