Jesus, Not Football, Is ‘My Identity’ Sport Broadcaster and Author Tim Tebow Recalls Lesson from Devastating Loss

Tim Tebow, a sports commentator and author, says that his Christian faith has helped him see things in the right way, even when he lost one of the most important games of his college career at the end of his senior year.

The former quarterback for Florida and winner of the Heisman Trophy said that the Gators’ loss to Alabama in the SEC Championship Game in 2009 still hurts because it kept them from playing for another national title. Tebow said these things on his Instagram account over the weekend, along with a picture of Ben Hill Gryphon Stadium with the years 1996, 2006, and 2008 written on it to show how many national titles Florida has won.

In 2006 and 2008, Tebow won national titles, and in 2007, he got the Heisman Trophy.

In 2009, Alabama beat Florida 32–13, which ruined the end of his senior season. He might not have won another Heisman because of the loss. Mark Ingram of Alabama was the MVP of the SEC Championship Game and won the Heisman Trophy the following weekend.

“It’s hard not to feel like 1996, 2006, 2008, and 2009 should be up there, too,” Tebow wrote. “As an athlete, sometimes the mistakes, missed chances, and loses stick with you more than all the wins and great plays. There are times when they do hurt more. So much of my life was spent trying to win and being upset when I didn’t. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to win, of course. But when that game becomes your life, you can’t help but go through all the highs and lows that come with it.

Tebow is a very open Christian, and he said that his faith, not football or anything else, is what makes him who he is.

“Over the years and because of many mistakes, I’ve had the chance to learn and be constantly told that my identity is so much more than a game! Tebow said, “I’m thankful that, because of God’s grace, our identity doesn’t have to be a roller coaster. Instead, it’s based on who He is and what He did for us on the cross.” “Our mistakes and scars don’t make us who we are. We are what He says we are.”