This week, Chiefs Wire’s Ed Easton Jr. spoke with retired NFL quarterback and College Football Hall of Famer Tim Tebow.
In his interview with Easton Jr., Tebow discussed his role as an ambassador for the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team and reflected on his experiences during Heisman week as a finalist multiple years, and the personal pressures that come with it.
“It’s brutal. I was blessed to do it three times, and every time, people are like, “Did it get easier?” No, I think it’s interesting. It’s not just because you put that pressure on yourself. I think that it’s because let’s, let’s be, I think, be really honest about it. Yes, it’s an individual award, but so many people represent it. You’re representing your team, your coaching staff, your university, your family, the community, Gator Nation,” said Tebow. “I think the pressure comes from wanting to represent and honor them the right way, and wanting them to be able to celebrate it.” I had family coming in from literally all over the world, like really far places where they’re doing mission work, and you’re like, Man, I don’t want them to fly back and be disappointed, I think, because of that, there’s a little level of weight and pressure with it.”
The Kansas City Chiefs notably drafted one Heisman Trophy winner, running back Mike Garrett, in 1965. He later became a Super Bowl IV champion with the Chiefs, playing with the franchise through the AFL-NFL merger.
“I remember my first year as a finalist, my sophomore year, during one of the commercial breaks, one of the Heisman trustees walks out and puts his hand over the mic, and talks to the finalist, and he goes, Hey guys, look at me. “I want you guys to know that for the rest of your lives, one of you is about to be named, introduced, and remembered as a Heisman Trophy winner,” said Tebow. “I was already nervous.” Now I’m just ready to throw up, and so you realize that it’s, it’s something that really does have an impact on your life, but it’s also really something that you can use for good and use to impact a lot of people. I’ve had the privilege of getting to auction off my Heisman trophy for so many years now, for a year or six months, and we’ve made millions of dollars for other nonprofits. It’s just been something that I wanted to use, not to collect dust, but to impact people, and so it’s just really cool.”
For more information on the Allstate Good Works Team, visit the American Football Coaches Association and the Wuerffel Foundation.
