ESPN football analyst and former NFL quarterback Tim Tebow shared his thoughts after seeing his close friend and former college coach Urban Meyer in a compromising bar video. In the video, Meyer can be seen dancing inappropriately with a young woman.
Tim Tebow’s Advice to Meyer
Tebow called the situation “disappointing” and “heartbreaking” as he spoke with ESPN‘s First Take hosts Molly Qerim Rose and Stephen A. Smith last Friday.
“My heart was hurting for Miss Shelley [Urban Meyer’s wife],” Tebow shared.
“[Shelley] is someone I love very much and [Meyer’s] daughters are whom I am very close with,” the former NFL quarterback said, adding that he had spoken with all of them after the news broke.
Tebow’s advice to Meyer was: “Apologize. Admit it. Learn from it. And to never, never repeat it.” The coach told Tebow that this has been “one of the hardest times of his life.”
“This has weighed so heavy on his heart, and he is hurting,” Tebow said.
Tebow then explained that Meyer will need to earn back trust and respect in the locker room with some of the Jacksonville Jaguars‘ players, adding that Meyer is determined to do so.
“This is not something that anybody in his family takes lightly,” Tebow said. “This is a very serious situation [and] a very disappointing situation.”
Tebow shared that he believes that the coach “wants to make amends,” which will be very hard and take time.
“Giving Coach a chance to earn that respect back is something I want to do because of how much I love Coach and his family,” Tebow said. “But at the same time, not condoning those actions — [I want to be] someone that gives people a chance to change, to grow, to be able to earn back that trust and respect.”
“A reputation takes a lifetime to build and a moment to lose.” – Tebow
“I’m praying for them in this hard time, because it’s so much bigger than football will ever be,” the former first-round draft pick told the First Take hosts.