I started covering this at Apprising Ministries in Tim Tebow “Jesus” Pose Stirs Controversy. As I said, I followed the Tim Tebow phenomenon with much interest as it developed last year.

This is because for years I served God as a head football coach at the middle school, and then later, at the high school level so I know what a teaching vehicle the game can be.

I also told you that as far as I can see, Tim Tebow does appear to be sincere in his Christian faith even though I wouldn’t necessarily do or advocate all the things he does.

The heart of the matter is the GQ NFL Kick-off 2012 issue and the pose below:

That would appear to be a pose similar to Jesus on the cross, which as you might imagine, stirred up a bit of controversy. The fact is Christian Post points out in Tim Tebow Chided on His Birthday for Posing as ‘Sexy Jesus’:

Though featured in the newest issue of GQ magazine, the photo in question was taken earlier when Tebow was quarterback for the Florida Gators in college. (source)

Another thing I brought out was that we weren’t there and don’t know what the photographer said to him. Nor do we know what kind of a release for this photo shoot may have been signed.

It seems clear that GQ did secure the right to use it. Today I’m told by a source who claims to know Tim Tebow that the photographer was taking pictures of him as he did his warmup for practice.

They say that Tebow wasn’t actually posing as Jesus at all; but rather, he was simply stretching. Since I personally never used a stretch like that for my players in warmup I wouldn’t recognize it as such.

Now, according to Tim Tebow himself, he doesn’t actually remember exactly what he was doing that day six years ago but insists that he was “absolutely not” trying to do a crucifixion pose:

“Honestly, I didn’t even know until — actually probably most of [you] knew that I was on there before I knew, so it kind of was a shocker for me,” Tebow said in comments to the media, which were transcribed and distributed by the team.

“It was something that I think I did maybe six years ago in college.  Honestly the first time I heard [it] was when we were in the cafeteria and it was on ESPN.  That’s when I found out, so it was kind of a shocker to me as well.”

It’s hardly obvious that the photos are outdated; the most controversial image appears to have Tebow in a crucifix pose, with the color dulled to the point where it creates the impression that the pants are Jet green and not Gator blue.

“Was I trying to do anything as far as the crucifix?” Tebow said.  “Absolutely not.  I mean, I don’t know — it was six years ago, I don’t even remember what I was doing, but I wasn’t trying to do anything like that though.” (source)

Further reading

• TIM TEBOW’S CHRISTIAN EVANGELISM
• TIM TEBOW ON GOD’S PLAN FOR YOUR LIFE
• WITCHES ASSEMBLED TO END TIM TEBOW’S SEASON