Tim Tebow is living his dream, playing quarterback in the NFL and using the platform provided by athletic stardom to spread his faith and do good deeds for those in need.
So, what does he care if people want to criticize him?
The Denver Broncos quarterback sat down with NFL Network's Kurt Warner this week to discuss the read-option offense, his team's hopes for the rest of the season and his latest charity project, building a hospital in the Philippines.
Tebow's own coach, John Fox, caused a stir this week when he told NFL.com that the quarterback would "be screwed" if he had to run a conventional offense, but the former Heisman Trophy winner didn't sound bothered by it.
"I think our goal is to constantly keep teams off balance," Tebow said in an interview that aired Thursday on NFL Network. "With base runs, outside runs, inside runs, play actions, quick throws, consistently keeping the defense off balance by doing a variety of stuff with a variety of personnel. ... I don't think our goal is to be the best option team ever. Our goal is just to keep the defense off balance. That's one more thing that they have to practice for every week, then I think we're doing our job."
Many football observers consider the option a gimmick designed to cover up Tebow's lack of passing prowess. He has completed just 44.8 percent of his throws this season, although he does have seven touchdown passes to only one interception.
"I can't control what other people say," Tebow said. "I think that's something I learned early on at the University of Florida, was to worry about what I can control. And that's my attitude, my effort and my focus every single day. And that's what I'm going to focus on. I don't know what the future holds, but at the end of the day, I know who holds my future."
The Philippines project is close to Tebow's heart.
"I was born there," said Tebow, whose parents were serving as missionaries in the South Pacific at the time. "And I've been back every summer since I was 15. It's on the island of Mindanao. And it's also an opportunity to go to a place that has a lot of poverty, where we can help."
And how does he feel about the "Tebowing" craze -- the practice of posing on bended knee as if deep in prayer, which spread across the Internet with amazing speed after the quarterback was photographed in such a pose during a comeback win at Miami?
"Honestly, I think it was fine. I think it's pretty cool," he said. "Someone told me the greatest form of flattery is impersonating somebody. Ultimately, it doesn't really matter.
"But what does matter is one day I got home from practice and there's a little boy who has a muscular illness. ... He has casts all over his body. But he was trying to find a way to get down into a kneeling position and pray. And he said, 'I'm chemoing while Tebowing.' And ultimately that's what it's about -- that kid who's going through a hard time, you know, at least he could have some fun with it or have a little hope in it. And that's pretty cool for me."
