Former NFL Player Delivers Powerful Prayer Before College Football Game

Published: September 4, 2025

By Mallory Mattingly

Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow delivered an incredible prayer before the kickoff at the Tennessee vs. Syracuse football game in Atlanta, Georgia, last weekend.

“Good and gracious heavenly father, we love you today because you first loved us,” Tebow began in a video shared by Christhlete. “We love you because when we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. And we thank you today that you sent Jesus on the greatest love story rescue mission of all time to do for us what we could not do for ourselves — to go to the cross and defeat sin and death and do it for us on our behalf.”

“We thank you for that. We cannot earn it. We do not deserve it. But today we say thank you. Thank you for your love, for your grace,” he continued. “Anybody who doesn’t know you, we pray that today they would say Yes to you because You said Yes to them on the Cross. We love you because you first loved us. And we are beyond grateful. Thank you, Jesus. In Jesus’s name we pray. Amen.”

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A post shared by Christian Athletes(Chris✞hlete™️) (@_christhlete)

Many people commented their appreciation for Tebow’s bold faith.

“Wish they showed this on TV,” one person wrote.

“I’m happy to see a revival happening right in front of my eyes. 🙏 amen,” someone else commented.

Another said, “I was there. It was indeed inspiring. He didn’t hold back the faith.”

The former NFL star often candidly shares his faith on social media.

“You don’t have to do everything, you just have to do what God is calling you to,” he shared in one post.

“God calls us to be faithful with what He puts in front of us. Start small. Step forward. Take the first action. When we do something with love and purpose, He multiplies it far beyond what we can imagine,” he added.

He also just announced his new book: Look Again: Recognize Your Worth. Renew Your Hope. Run with Confidence.

In it, Tebow shares a “dynamic message on identity, meaning, and purpose. Highlighting his work with some of the world’s most vulnerable populations, Tebow unlocks a powerful truth: Everything changes when we learn to see the image of God in every human — ourselves, our neighbors, and even our enemies. With powerful personal stories and profound spiritual principles, Tebow gives readers the tools and inspiration they need to impact their homes, neighborhoods, communities, and culture for good.”

He said of the book on Instagram, “You’ve missed something important. We often look, but rarely see. We look past people and we look past ourselves. It’s time to see clearly. We’re not image bearers. We’re image beings.”