Tim Tebow Trademarks 'Tebowing' to Make Sure It's Used the Right Way
Tim Tebow, the popular Christian quarterback, has officially trademarked "Tebowing."
Tebow, backup quarterback for the New York Jets, said Friday that he wanted "to just control how it's used ... make sure it's used the right way."
"I knew it was something that was cool for me in the past, but it's not something that I do as 'Tebowing.' It's something that I do that's prayer for me and then it got hyped up as 'Tebowing.'"
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"Tebowing" became popular last year after Tebow's team, the Denver Broncos, upset the Miami Dolphins. The quarterback knelt down (on one knee) in the endzone and held a clenched fist against his forehead as he prayed. The move was picked up by the public with everyone from Christians to celebrities and NFL players imitating the pose.
Time magazine named Tebowing No. 5 on its 2011 list of "Top Ten Memes."
Tebow, 25, has stated that he is flattered by the trend but also mentioned that he has been "doing this same exact routine for the last seven years."
Explaining the prayer position he takes out on the field, Tebow told thousands at Canyon Ridge Christian Church early this year that he does it "to take a moment to block out everything else and just get on a knee and thank the Lord."
"I want to humble myself before the Lord and say thank you for this opportunity. Thank you for letting me play the game I love. Whether I'm good or bad, whether I'm the hero or the goat, whether I score four touchdowns or throw four interceptions, that will still be the same person, honoring the Lord."
Tebow first gained media attention in 2009 when he sported "John 3:16" and other Bible verses on his eye black while playing for the Florida Gators. Tebow was one of the most popular players in NCAA football, having been the first college sophomore to win the Heisman Trophy and the first college football player to both rush and pass for 20 touchdowns in a season.
