A former Heisman Trophy winner, Tim Tebow became quite the sensation during his college days with the Florida Gators. The Denver Broncos selected him in the first round of the 2010 draft, but when his college success didn’t quite carry over to the pros, he was traded to the Jets in 2012. Before long, his NFL journey came to an end.
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Still, Tebow never really walked away from the game. Though he hasn’t made it past a practice squad in the NFL since 2012, he’s stayed close to football, serving as an analyst (specifically for ESPN’s SEC Network) for college games for more than a decade. And off the field, the former quarterback has built a life rooted in faith and family.
A devoted Christian, Tebow met his wife, Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters, in 2018 at a South African event for one of his nonprofits, Night to Shine. The two hit it off right away, got engaged in 2019, and tied the knot in 2020. Over the years, Tebow grew especially close to his father-in-law, Bennie Peters. They formed a bond filled with warmth and respect. Sadly, Bennie passed away on Thursday.
Taking to Instagram, Tebow penned a heartfelt tribute to his “Papa Bennie,” with a picture and a lengthy note, remembering the joy Bennie brought in this world through his dad jokes, South African barbecues, and the deep love he had for both his family and his dogs.
“You were the best father-in-law. The braai-master. The dad-joke king. A dog lover. A champion of [Demi Tebow] and our family. A fighter till the end.”
Tebow went on to reminisce about his nights spent by the fire in South Africa with Bennie, and their travels together across the US. The former QB also spoke fondly of Bennie’s playful pranks and the way he adored his daughter, the woman Tebow was lucky enough to marry. He added that he hopes to be the same kind of loving role model for his own daughter, Daphne Reign Tebow.
“I agree with Demi, Heaven is in for a treat…the man with the best jokes has arrived. Lief vir jou papa Bennie,” Tebow concluded.
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Fans flocked to the comment section with prayers, many standing by the grieving quarterback. “So sorry for your loss Tim. Praying for you and your family during this time,” one wrote.
“So sorry Tim and Demi. God bless your family during this time,” another penned.
“What a special man. I know you’ll miss him so much.praying for you and @demitebow and sending so much love to all,” said a third.
Demi-Leigh Teebow was the one to share this heartbreaking news on Instagram. Bennie had been fighting a battle with pancreatic cancer for over two years, as she revealed in the caption of her post.
And from the way both Demi-Leigh and Tebow wrote about him, it’s clear that Bennie never let the illness bring him down, fighting till the very end while being the ultimate dad of the family.
We, at The SportsRush, send our heartfelt tributes to Demi-Leigh’s family and Tebow.
