Tim Tebow appears at lecture but no word on plans
BENTON HARBOR, Mich. (AP) � Eleven days after he was cut by the New York Jets, Tim Tebows future plans remain up in the air.
Since his release, Tebow has not spoken publicly about the dismissal or what his next move will be. Does he feel jilted by the Jets? Does he have any other NFL prospects? Would he consider the Canadian Football League?
Tebow didnt offer any insight Thursday night during a roughly hour-long keynote address before a crowd of about 3,000 at Lake Michigan College. The lecture was part of the Economic Club of Southwest Michigans annual speaker series, and Tebow had been booked last summer, when he was still an active NFL player.
Tebow accepted no questions from the press at the event, and was quickly whisked out a back door by police escort afterward.
Instead of discussing the past two weeks or his future, the 25-year-old, wearing a dark suit and purple tie, sat on stage and engaged in an easygoing exchange with a moderator. Tebow spoke of his intensely competitive nature, his Christian faith, his love of family, and his record-setting high school and college careers. He only briefly touched upon his rookie season with the Denver Broncos, when he led the team to an improbable playoff win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.
But he said nothing about the Jets.
The closest Tebow came to shedding light on what he might do next was when he repeated one of his favorite sayings: "I dont know what the future holds, but at the end of the day I know who holds my future."
Tebow says its a reference to a strong faith that remains a driving force in his life.
Last season, Tebow got few chances from Jets coach Rex Ryan, despite starter Mark Sanchez struggling throughout the season while leading New York to a dismal 6-10 record.
Still, a Forbes.com survey released this week called Tebow Americas most influential athlete. Tebow finished ahead of Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps (25 percent), Jamaican track star Usain Bolt (23 percent) and Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter (22 percent).
"Thats a huge honor," Tebow said. "I see it as a great responsibility to be a role model for future generations. Thats something I care about more than winning football games. If I can take the game of football and can transcend football . go to hospitals and make kids smile, Ill be doing things that matter."
He hinted about finding a life of fulfillment after the game.
"What I want to do with my life is impact lives. When a kid in a hospital is fighting for his life and Im trying to win a football game, what really matters? This game isnt as important as a lot of us make it out to be. If I can give him a little bit of hope, I can do something that matters. Thats what I want my legacy to be about. Thats how I want to be remembered."
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