Demi-Leigh and Tim Tebow look at their daughter, Daphne (Photo courtesy of Instagram/@demitebow).
In his 37 years on earth, Tim Tebow has worn many hats: NFL player, Heisman Trophy winner, national champion, College Football Hall of Famer, pro baseball player, author, speaker, producer, television personality, philanthropist.
Now, Tebow can add one more title, and it’s perhaps his most cherished: father.
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Tebow and his wife, Demi-Leigh, joyfully announced in an Instagram post that they welcomed their first child, Daphne Reign Tebow, into the world on Sunday.
In a follow-up post revealing their daughter’s name, Demi-Leigh shared the importance of the names Daphne and Reign. Daphne was her great aunt’s name, a woman who served as a grandmother figure to Demi-Leigh growing up. Meanwhile, Reign has spiritual significance.
“[Reign is] inspired by a precious little girl Tim and I have loved deeply for years,” she wrote. “Her story has shaped our hearts in ways I can’t even begin to explain. But more than anything, her name reminds us that when you’re adopted into God’s family, you become a child of the King. You were made to rule and reign — not in power, but in purpose, love, and identity.
“So here she is — our daughter. Our answered prayer. Daphne Reign Tebow — created in the image of God. Royalty as His princess. Our biggest prayer over her is to reign in God’s purpose for her life.”
As one of the most outspoken followers of Christ in modern sports history, Tim began to post about the image of God on his Instagram and X accounts in the wake of Daphne’s birth, possibly inspired by the image of God he now holds in his hands.
“If [the term ‘son of God’ is] used throughout history as a term for kings and for monarchs, then it is a term for royalty,” Tebow explained in a clip of one of the many sermons he’s delivered, which he posted on X on Wednesday. “What if our God loves you so much that when He says you were made in His image, He’s saying, ‘I love you so much that I see you as royalty.’?”
“I used to think being made in God’s image was just a label we wore. But it’s so much more than that,” Tebow wrote in another post. “You are His image, part of His design, part of His story. That truth changes everything. Your worth isn’t something you wear. It’s who you are.”
Tebow first rose to prominence as a college football player at Florida from 2006-2009, becoming a media sensation for frequently sharing publicly about his faith in Christ. With the Gators, he won two national championships (2006, 08) and the 2007 Heisman Trophy. The Denver Broncos drafted him No. 25 overall in 2010, and he spent two seasons with the franchise. Primarily a backup as a rookie, Tebow became the team’s starter in 2011. He helped turn that season around as the Broncos advanced to the postseason and won a playoff game. He was traded to the Jets that offseason and was released after a year in New York.
In 2016, Tebow announced that he would pursue a career as a professional baseball player. Despite not playing organized baseball since his junior year of high school, Tebow impressed scouts enough that the New York Mets signed him to a minor-league deal. He played in the Mets’ minor-league system before formally announcing his retirement from baseball in February 2021.
When his former college football coach, Urban Meyer, was hired by the Jacksonville Jaguars ahead of the 2021 season, Tebow signed a one-year contract with the team. His brief attempt to return to the NFL as a tight end came to a close when he was released in the preseason.
Tebow’s days tossing touchdowns and hammering home runs may have passed, but his days changing diapers and singing lullabies have just begun. He’s proclaimed the Gospel of Jesus Christ with millions watching around the world, and he’s trusted his Heavenly Father to equip him with the words to speak at those times. Now as a father — a role he’s never had before — he will trust his Heavenly Father to guide him, just as He’s always done.
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