Dominant. That’s how Tim Tebow’s time was with the Florida Gators. But it all could have easily been different, depriving Urban Meyer of his offensive centerpiece. Tebow was seconds away from committing to their SEC rivals, the Alabama Crimson Tide, before choosing Florida. Now, that makes you wonder — what if? 

Tim Tebow took a trip down memory lane in the latest episode of In Depth with Graham Bensinger. “Well, I’ve been agonizing about it for several days and trying to figure out how to narrow it down,” he said. “I narrowed it down to Florida and Alabama, and I loved both schools. And it was like it literally came down to the last second. Even when I said University of Florida, there was still a part of me that regretted it. I didn’t know if I made the best decision.” 

But as fate would have it, Tim Tebow won two national championships, 3 SEC East championships, and a Heisman Trophy. He accumulated a career completion percentage of 66.4, 9,285 yards, 88 TDs, and a record rating of 170. He went on to become a college football legend, earning him a place in the NFL as a first-round pick. It marked the pinnacle of the Urban Meyer era, as he ended with a 48-7 record, while Alabama went through a rough period of transition.

If he had gone to the Alabama Crimson Tide, it might have saved the job of Mike Shula. He got fired in 2006, just a year after guiding the Crimson Tide to a 10-2 season. Rubbing salt in the wound, Tebow starred in multiple matchups where the Gators got the better of Alabama, especially the 2008 championship game, where the #1 in the SEC Gators won 31-20 with Tebow throwing a decisive TD with 2:50 remaining on the clock. Further, he was very close to Shula and the coaching staff there.

“When we got in the car afterwards, I asked my mom for a trash bag because I thought I was going to throw up. I was just so close with so many of the players and staff at Alabama. And I think it’s really hard that you feel like you regret it because you also hurt people, the disappointment in that. And I carried some of that weight. It wasn’t that I didn’t love Florida. It’s just, man, to hurt people is hard. And I’m not good at having some of those hard conversations,” he continued.

While away from the football field, the 38-year-old is a passionate cancer advocate and philanthropist. He pushed Hugh Freeze to get cancer treatment recently. Through the Tim Tebow Foundation, he has helped raise significant funds for cancer research, including breast cancer initiatives like the “Cleats for a Cure” auction benefiting the University of Colorado Cancer Center.

Meanwhile, he has remained a Gators fan and follows them even now. He has become an analyst for the SEC, talking about the various happenings across the college football landscape.

Tim Tebow talks about the future of the Florida Gators

As a Gators Nation loyalist, he has talked about the kind of coach they need and the current roster. “You’ve got to find someone that can galvanize the [fans] and bring Gator Nation back to where they want to go and back to where they’ve been,” Tebow said. “I also think it’s really important to understand that they’re not that far away. This is a Florida team that has a really good defense and a very talented offense. This cupboard is not bare, but you have to find someone that can really galvanize and also keep these players in a time where it’s so easy to leave and transfer and they have an opportunity to do that.”

Florida’s roster this season boasts some of the best players nationally on both sides of the ball. The offense is led by DJ Lagway, who has recorded a 64.5% completion percentage for 1,762 yards and 11 TDs. He is supported by receivers Vernell Brown III (473 yards), Dallas Wilson (174 yards), and running back Jadan Baugh (747 yards). The defense is marshaled by linebacker Myles Graham (51 tackles).

While Lane Kiffin leads the race to be the next Gators coach, he might be the ideal candidate to bring the team together and get the best out of the roster. His time at Ole Miss and the way he has transformed the program fill the Gators faithful with hope. He is closely followed by the former Penn State coach James Franklin, although it might not be the best option for them. Whatever happens, every Gators fan is hopeful and would like to see a return to the glory days of Tebow’s time.