Newsflash: Tim Tebow is an influential guy. Just how influential, though, was put into context today by Time Magazine.
Time came out with its list of the 100 Most Influential People in the World, and Tebow was selected. He was the only football player selected -- no, we can't believe Tom Brady didn't make the cut, either -- and one of six athletes included. (Knicks guard Jeremy Lin, Argentine soccer player Lionel Messi, Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic, South African double amputee sprinter Oscar Pistorius and Taiwanese professional golfer Yani Tseng were the others.)
It makes sense to mention Tebow. Sure, he's only Mark Sanchez's backup. But no other player in the NFL is as resoundingly polarizing. Love him or hate him, his faith and his platform as an NFL quarterback has made him one of the most influential athletes in recent memory.
Lin wrote about Tebow for Time's piece:
"He is unashamed of his convictions and faith, and he lives a life that consistently reflects his values, day in and day out. Through his foundation, he constantly reaches out to people and communities in need of hope. He realizes what he has been blessed with and seeks to help those who are worse off. As athletes, we pour our hearts into winning games. Tim is a reminder that life is about much more than that."