A RED AND WHITE ISSUE?

Tim Tebow is a red and white issue – he always has been. He has been a red and white issue since before he was born when doctors advised his parent’s to get an abortion, but his parents refused. 

He was home-schooled and he continued to be a red and white issue on the high school team he played for – as well as for the Florida Gators in college as he continued to defy the odds. It did not stop there as Tebow continued to be a red and white issue in the NFL as he defied all human logic taking over a 1-3 team and leading them to the playoffs. Tebow could be seen taking a knee, which began a phenomenon called, “Tebowing,” which spread across the country like wildfire. Then in the postseason Denver beat Pittsburgh and that is when millions of people began to really ponder if this indeed was a red and white issue.

Tebow bounced around after that with the Jets, Patriots and Eagles and he continued to be a red and white issue as he never complained. He became such a red and white issue, no other team in the league would sign him. 

He went to play baseball, but even there he continued to be a red and white issue. First, with people on a plane after a man had a fatal heart attack and then with a young man who had a seizure at his New York Mets debut.

And now Tebow’s journey has led him back to the NFL – this time to the Jacksonville Jaguars as a tight end. Jacksonville had been rumored for years to be a possible destination for him, but it just was not the right timing because again, this is such a red and white issue. 

All the words of Jesus Christ in the Bible are written in red ink on white paper and that is what I mean by all this being a red and white issue. 

When Tebow was the first to take a knee – he showed us all the true path to equality. It is a pathway that is higher than any flag and it causes every taught and learned perception of division we hold to fade. It is a pathway which is open to every person in every nation. So while other prominent people may try to make this into something else, remember, the words written in red ink rise above all that as does He who spoke them.

Daniel Kelly is a former NFL scout with the New York Jets. He was hired on the regime which featured Bill Parcells, Bill Belichick, Scott Pioli, Mike Tannenbaum and Dick Haley. He currently writes for Sports Illustrated Detroit Lions and he is a contributing evaluator for Draft Diamonds. For more information about him visit his website at whateverittakesbook.com. He can be followed on Twitter @danielkellybook and his Facebook page is WHATEVER IT TAKES NFL TALK.