Tim Tebow Mulling Politics? Former Heisman Winner Watts Welcomes Possibility

By Paul Stanley, Christian Post Reporter Monday, February 06, 2012

Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow has become a household name, mainly due to his strong Christian stance both on and off the field. Now the former Heisman Trophy winner is signaling that his next career may involve politics.

"I don't know – it could be something in my future," said Tebow, when Golf Channel's Dave Feherty brought up the subject of politics. "If it's something I care about, possibly."

While success on the athletic field is no guarantee of political success, former quarterbacks like Jack Kemp and J.C. Watts have parlayed their athletic achievements into successes on the political field too. When The Christian Post contacted Watts today, he was very complimentary of his fellow Heisman winner.

"Tim Tebow is quality and a stand up guy," said Watts in an email to The Christian Post. "He serves his fellow man by his service to his GOD. We could always use that kind of person in public service."

Although uncommitted about something so distant, Tebow seemed intrigued by the possibility of public service at a later time.

"Ultimately I know that my goal and my platform through the game of football isn't just to score touchdowns and win games. You know, it's about being a great role model and setting an example for the next generation. My ultimate goal is to be an athlete that some mom or dad can look at their son and daughter and say, 'That's someone who's trying to do it the right way, that's someone who's trying to live with character."

Tebow has been an outspoken opponent of abortion and talks about the issue often since his mother was encouraged to abort him for medical reasons during her pregnancy.

In his autobiography, Through My Eyes, Tebow recounts his mother telling him how the doctor said the "fetal tissue," referring to Tebow as a fetus, "had to go."

In 2011, Tebow and his mother filmed a pro-life Super-Bowl commercial that Focus on the Family aired. The ad was deemed as a success, given that many also saw the commercial on the Focus on the Family website to learn more about the issue.

Now that the NFL season is over, several GOP candidates have reached out to the NFL star in hopes he would endorse their candidacy. Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who is no longer in the race, once compared himself to the star quarterback, saying, "I hope I am the Tim Tebow of the Iowa caucuses."