GAINESVILLE, September 25 — Tim Tebow stood on familiar ground Friday and said he would step back from the organization he has fronted for five years. The former Florida quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner told reporters in Gainesville, ahead of the Florida–Ole Miss game, that he will pause his relationship with Life Surge, the Christian faith-based motivational and financial organization he has represented, and that his representatives will investigate allegations of wrongdoing involving the company. It was his first public comment on the matter.
The allegations trace to journalist Pablo Torre, who reported Thursday on his podcast, “Pablo Torre Finds Out,” that Tebow has spoken at dozens of Life Surge events and was reportedly paid up to $100,000 per event as a speaker. Torre’s episode examined Tebow’s relationship with the company and highlighted multiple cases in which people said they lost thousands of dollars through the organization.
A company that digs in
Life Surge chief executive Jeremy Nosek answered Tebow’s retreat with a statement of his own — and took the opposite approach, digging in rather than stepping back. The company faces mounting scrutiny over allegations that it pushed attendees toward five-figure debt. Nosek has not apologized.
Tebow is not the only sports name caught up in the questions surrounding Life Surge. Reporting notes that several unnamed figures have yet to make a statement, and a former ESPN reporter’s latest update suggests the list is much bigger.
Divided reaction
Fan reaction has been divided, with some defending Tebow and others arguing he knew about the allegations. Coverage of the story has drawn commentary from multiple outlets, including Mother Jones, EssentiallySports, Pro Football Network and the Orlando Sentinel, as well as remarks from sports radio host Craig Carton, who criticized Torre over the matter. What comes next rests with the investigation Tebow says his representatives will conduct — and with the unnamed sports figures who have so far stayed silent.
