“Respect.” What Tim Tebow did for his teammates and what I can do for mine

How do you gain respect in your workplace? Leave a comment here.

Sports fan or not, if you want to be respected, this post is for you. The big news in the sporting world is that Quarterback Tim Tebow led an unlikely charge of the Denver Broncos into the second round of the playoffs. They lost to the Patriots, but there’s more to the story. 

Image by Jeffrey Beall via Flickr

Tebow was a Heisman Trophy winner and led the University of Florida to two national championships. The Broncos drafted him in the first round two years ago, but for the most part he has been standing on the sidelines, clipboard in hand, eyes watching with intent every play.


I can’t comment with any authority on his football ability, and that seems to be arguable. But the man just knows how to win, inspiring those around him. And to be honest, I have watched only a handful of games in my life — until now. Not missing a snap, I’m wearing Orange pajamas and brushing my teeth with Timmy Teeth-Bow Toothpaste.

But I have been observing how he handles himself.  All that pressure. All that talent. All that attention. He’s got a genuine approach to life that is teaching me a thing or two about my own.

In October he was a second-string quarterback. Last week, he was named by ESPN as the most popular athlete. He may very well be the hero-type person America needs right, someone who can rally a nation and make us feel good again about the right and pure. USA Today even wrote a piece called, It’s Tebow time: Denver quarterback inspires nation.

That’s a lot to put on a kid, but in his book, he understands the platform God has put him on, and he plans on using it not to glorify himself, but his Lord. 

Tebow has been a superstar probably since he played Pop Warner football. He’s been lauded with awards, attention, media and lavish praise for a long, long time. Yet, he continually responds with humility, grace and honor. And he’s an outspoken believer in Christ, speaking about his faith intelligently and naturally. 

He was known for painting Bible verses in the grease under his eyes, so a million people would watch him take a snap for the Gators and at the same time be reminded of John 3:16, or Phil 4:8. After he graduated, they changed the rules so no one could do that again. It’s not a ploy, but a reflection of his heart and that makes all the difference.

In the locker room and on the field, he’s a leadership magnet. Tough players, hardened by the world and not necessarily comfortable with his Christianity are drawn to his athletic ability, but more so by his character. He is a leader, a friend and a motivator. His love and passion for the game is backed a boundless enthusiasm. His teammates adore him. What’s not to love about this kid?

My friends Pat and Tammy McLeod, who are chaplains at Harvard University, have a son Zach who suffered a brain injury while playing football. Tebow is bringing them to the sideline in Boston to spend a few minutes with him, to hug and pray.

I  read an interview earlier this year, where the reporter was trying to goad the then second-string Tebow. “Why aren’t you starting? Isn’t sitting on the bench humbling for you? Don’t you think you should be leading this team, the same way you led the Florida Gators?“


Tebow said this, in so many words. My job right now is to learn. I’m just a young player. The only thing I’m trying to do right now is earn the respect of my teammates. I need to  be an example to them in my professional and personal life.


When I look at my own world of influence, I try to strut my stuff, my ability and my experience. Rarely do I think about just earning respect the right way. He talks about his faith. But even more, he lives it in a way that is attractive and real.

How do you gain respect in your workplace? Leave a comment here. And one more thing. I encourage Tim to endorse my friend Dan King’s book, the Unlikely Missionary. The rest of us should just read it