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Tim Tebow learned of College Football Hall of Fame induction live on ESPN

Andrew Olson

By Andrew Olson

Published:

Tim Tebow is a first-ballot College Football Hall of Famer. The legendary former Florida quarterback didn’t know about it, though, until his ESPN colleagues surprised him.

Tebow was previewing Monday’s College Football Playoff National Championship with Dan Mullen, Jesse Palmer and Joe Tessitore when the 2023 class was revealed. ESPN had some fun with Tebow, announcing all the other players elected before Tessitore told Tebow that he, too, is in the 2023 class.

Steve Hatchell, the President of the National Football Foundation, joined the ESPN crew on the SoFi Stadium field to present Tim Tebow with an inductee football. Tebow acknowledged the role of Mullen, his former position coach and play-caller at Florida, in getting him to the Hall of Fame. He also got emotional talking about his grandfather’s Florida fandom and the things he did not live to see.

Tebow threw for 9,285 yards and 88 touchdowns while also rushing for 2,947 yards and 55 touchdowns in his Florida career, which included the 2007 Heisman Trophy and national titles in 2006 and 2008. Tebow is the 10th player from Florida and 13th overall Gator to be elected into the sport’s Hall of Fame.

Andrew Olson

Andrew writes about sports to fund his love of live music and collection of concert posters. He strongly endorses the Hall of Fame campaigns of Fred Taylor and Andruw Jones.

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