Tim Tebow is returning to prime time. No, sadly it isn’t for Monday Night Football, but you will be able to see him on Fox this summer season as the new co-host of Home Free.
Tebow is joining professional contractor Mike Holmes for the Thursday night show’s second season to encourage and inspire contestants as they face elimination competing to renovate run-down homes to give away to their real life heroes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdxV0B76uVA
Tebow acknowledges that the giving aspect of the show drew him to Home Free, not home improvement. “Mike is a master builder and I am definitely not,” Tebow joked. He explained, “just the giving factor of it… being able to not think about yourself for a little bit, but to think about someone else’s needs above your own and act on their behalf; I think that is the overarching theme and what really drew me to this [show].” Tebow added, “I mean it’s awesome to build homes and be a part of [the] competition, but it’s amazing to be able to give away homes and be able to see the reactions on people’s faces… I think it is how the contestants really had a chance to change the life of the heroes. That is what really drew me in. Tebow also noted that the show’s family friendly aspect was something he enjoyed as well. “I wanted to do Home Free because I felt like it was something that families in America can watch together…something entertaining…good and uplifting,” Tebow said.
As for his role on the home improvement show, Tebow is more of an emotional mentor than a hands-on educator. “I try to help all the contestants with believing in them[selves] and supporting them and trying to be inspirational to them and [with] encouragement sometimes,” he says. Tebow admits his own life experiences have prepared him for such a role. “I guess [dealing with] emotions and [understanding] highs and lows for people and [using] that was just me taking my life experiences and everything that I have been through and just trying to be able to relate and encourage and [get] the best out of every one.”
Life experiences off the football field have certainly prepared him for encouraging others, but football also played a part in getting him ready for Home Free. “What you learn on the football field and in the practices and training definitely could be applied to this show….Everything that I learn about competing and pushing past your limits and the mindset and mental toughness and believing in yourself and all things that you learn when competing as a football player and in the ups and downs of live [can be applied here]. As for whether Tebow is done with football for good, he says never say never and “God opens the right door and you walk down it.”
Tebow greatest hope for the show is that families take away a sense of selfless giving. “More than anything I want them to take away [that] it can be cool to be able to love and sacrifice for other people…and just believe that [it’s] more [of a] blessing to give than to receive.” He adds, “It is such a blessing to help other people and sacrifice for other people whether it is your money, your time, your energy, your effort [or] whatever it is, it’s worth it …especially in this day and age where it can be so much about me or how can I get mine. Whereas this show is totally about helping other people and that’s really cool.” Tebow also wants people to know that “there are a lot of heroes walking around amongst us and so many times they don’t get thanked, and what they do goes unnoticed. I think that this show really tries to thank them.” Tebow also noted that his two biggest heroes in life are his parents.
As for working with the master builder, Mike Holmes, Tebow remarks it’s a jovial relationship. He notes saying, “It was really fun working with Mike. We are just so absolutely different, but we got along so well. I would give him a hard time about wearing overalls every day that I just call the fancy ones.
-Melissa Unger
