Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow stunned the AFC Champion Pittsburgh Steelers in the NFL AFC wildcard playoff football game in Denver, Colorado, on January 8, almost everybody predicted would take a miracle for Denver to win. Well…
The devout Christian’s statistics in Sunday’s game mirrors the numbering of the Biblical passage that Tebow at times had painted on his black eye paint, including when he led the Florida Gators to victory in the 2009 collegiate national championship game – John 3:16.
The passage in John, Chapter 3, Verse 16 reads, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”
Officially, Tebow passed for 316 yards against the Steelers, completing 10 of 21 pass attempts — meaning he passed for an NFL playoff record of 31.6 yards per completion. Also, the football game peaked with a rating share of 31.6/46 between 8:00 and 8:15PM E.T. the highest rating for a wild card game in 24 years.
Another interesting things about the Denver victory and “316.” Turns out that the Steeler’s only interception of the game took place on 3rd down and 16 yards to go.
After his final pass was caught and brilliantly taken downfield by Thomas, who was born on Christmas, Tebow shrugged off three bad weeks — and took a knee and prayed in his classic style.
“First and foremost, I just want to thank my savior, the Lord, Jesus Christ,” Tebow said at the postgame news conference. “I am so thankful for the platform God has given me.”
Even though the NFL refuses to let Tebow put John 3:16 on his black eye paint, Tebow’s playoff statistics have caused that verse to be read again and again all over the country. You can’t make this stuff up!
If we are truly a nation of Freedom of Speech as one of our rights what right does the NFL have to dictate what Tim Tebow prints in his eyemake up. Praise God keep up your ministry Tim!
Freedom of speech does not extend into the workplace. This is nothing new.
Welcome to the blog, Chuck. I agree with you – with all the secular advertisements all over most football fields and ballparks – what does a little devout, personal advertisement for Christianity hurt or do we now have separation of Church and Sports in the Constitution?
In my hometown of Green Bay we have always responded to the invitation to “come worship with us on Sunday afternoons at Lambeau filed”.
Chuck, employers are allowed to mandate employees’ uniforms, dress codes, etc. and, as such, the NFL may disallow Tebow from wearing these markings. Perhaps the NFL does not want to offend customers who aren’t such devout Christians. You are free to write to the NFL to express your views, and they are free to run their business as they see fit.
I understand and would have to agree with you, Adam, concerning private businesses and religious effects on all their customers. It’s just that in a country that is 76% self-identified Christians, that their views should also be respected – not always the minority, sometimes it’s only a few.
BTW, in 1990, self-identified Christians were 87% of the population in America. Looks like the secularists are winning.
Unfortunately, in the public arena, officials take manger scenes and Christmas displays from public property, while allowing Muslims to set up their praying rugs in the middle of New York streets blocking traffic to pray.
It just seems to only make a difference to these secularist officials, if one is offended by Christian behavior, but those officials do not seem to be too concerned if the current majority Christians are offended or effected by non-Christian behavior! Hmmmm!
I wonder if when the Christians are in the minority at some point in the future, if the then majority of nonChristians will be as understanding?
People don’t understand that John 3:16 is complete in 10 passes for 316 yards. The 10th letter of the alphabet is J and therefore signifies John. The 316 yards is of course 3:16.
Jesus <3 Numerology
This column seems slightly ludicrous now that the Pats smoked the Broncos and Tebow was a complete non-factor. Guess God took Saturday evening off from his usual work with the NFL. . .
Monkey – never said I though the game against Pittsburg was God’s intervention. Just thought the numbers and 3:16 were interesting.
So, what exactly, was your point in this article?
All the media hype around Tebow was simply because the Broncos were WINNING. Now that they were summarily dismissed with relative ease by the Pats, the media can move on, thankfully.
Ted, I could not have said it better. And no, ‘they’ will not be as understanding. They are only understanding and torerable to those that hold ‘their’ view. And ‘they’ call us believers narrow and closed minded. I’m seriously done with the NFL (yes at playoff time) until they repent and realize they offend the majority and quite catering to the few bigoted minority out there. Oh and I’m a Raider fan…
Welcome to the blog, Tony.
people are offended…even if you just tell the story. People are moved with joy or offense. yes, that is what the bible promises will happen. Thanks monkey and others for proving the word of God truth, yet again. Get saved people and you won’t be offended by such a simple display of God’s love….and it will happen again.
Somewhere…somehow.
Kat, welcome to the blog. I guess we should turn the other cheek to those like monkey and the others. However, I will keep telling the story, in my way, regardless of the anger and hate!
I’ll just add this – What has the media got against someone who is a clean cut, devout Christian; who lives a decent life, plays by the rules, both on and off the field? The man has done nothing wrong, yet he is subjected to the closest scrutiny by many just waiting for him to fail, in fact rooting for it. I think reports in the media concerning Tim Tebow says a lot more about those associated with the media, than it does about Tebow.
I have no hate for Tim Tebow. I just find it incredibly amusing that people only started paying attention to his religion when he was winning. He’s a relatively mediocre quarterback who went on a good run late in the season. Great for him and the Broncos. But, enough with the “Tebowing” and all the hype about the 3:16 garbage. Be religious. Pray all you want. Live a good life. Get inspiration from whatever helps you. Millions of people do it every day and are relatively quiet about it. To think that God, or whomever or whatever you choose to pray to, is somehow involved in determining the outcome of a football game is bordering on science fiction.
And, quite frankly, I’m still waiting for a pro athlete to come off the field after screwing up, or having lost a game, and say, “I just want to blame Jesus for making me fumble and that’s why we lost.” I’m waiting. Patiently.
Christians are so persecuted. They only make up 75% of the U.S. Poor Tebow.