Focus on the Family excited for Tebow era

ENGLEWOOD • When the Denver Broncos drafted Tim Tebow, it started debate across the country. In one building, there wasn’t much argument. 

“It’s fun around here today,” Focus on the Family spokesman Gary Schneeberger said. “There’s so many Broncos fans here. Everyone is buzzing about it.”

Tebow, the devout Christian and 2007 Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback from Florida, shot a pro-life advertisement for Focus on the Family that ran during the Super Bowl. When Pam Tebow was pregnant with Tim, she refused to have an abortion even though doctors were concerned about a stillbirth because of drugs she took to treat a life-threatening infection.

As Schneeberger proudly stated, the agreement to do the advertisement was the first post-college contract Tebow signed.

Schneeberger said it was too soon to know if Tebow’s proximity to the Springs-based organization would result in more opportunities to work with the new Broncos quarterback. Schneeberger said that Focus understands Tebow’s time will be in demand. While Tebow called Focus “a good organization,” he figured working with Focus was “kind of a one time thing.”

“We had a story we felt was a very good story, an uplifiting story, and something that could maybe be inspiring to a lot of people,” Tebow said. “We took advantage of the opportunity to share that story.”

Without revealing specifics, Tebow said he lost some endorsement deals by doing the Super Bowl commercial. He said that was fine with him.

“I knew going in there that, when you stand up for something, it’s going to cost you something else,” Tebow said. “I’m willing to make those sacrifices, for what I believe in, to stand up for that. That’s my personality. When I believe in something, I’m going to do it with all my heart.”

Regardless of whether Tebow ever works with Focus again, Focus certainly endorses the Broncos’ investment in high-character players like Tebow.

“It’s very encouraging they’d select someone like that with great character, and great skills,” Schneeberger said. “The unfortunate reality is some of our greatest athletes are not some of our greatest role models. It’s exciting to see a franchise invest in character guys.”

Tebow’s character has become almost legendary. He has preached about his faith to inmates. He has done missionary work in the Philippines with his family. He had references to Bible verses on his eye black.

Schneeberger said he was struck by Tebow during an eight-hour session in Florida to film the Super Bowl ad. Tebow joked around with his mother through the shoot and enjoyed the process.

“It was so sweet to watch,” Schneeberger said. “There’s all this pressure and the lights, and to see how the family interacted, to see the love between then, was a real joy for us.”

Now that Tebow will be starting his career in Denver, he will also start doing charitable work off the field. Tebow said his foundation is up and running, although he won’t do much work with it this summer as he learns the Broncos’ offense. When he does contribute for the Broncos on the field, he’ll have a cheering section in the Springs.

“I think it’ll be exciting for us all to watch,” Schneeberger said. “A lot of us are Denver Broncos fans, and Tim Tebow fans.”