GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Tim Tebow announced Friday he is pausing his relationship with Life Surge, a Christian organization facing allegations of predatory sales tactics. Tebow, a college football analyst for ESPN’s SEC Nation, stated that his team is conducting an internal investigation into the matter.
"The allegations are extremely, extremely serious, and it’s something that we take very serious," Tebow said on campus ahead of the Mississippi-Florida game. "So, for us, we’re having our team do an investigation, but also pausing our relationship ’til we can learn more about the facts to be able to understand more."
Tebow mentioned he was “caught off guard” by a podcast investigation, "Pablo Torre Finds Out," which examined his involvement with Life Surge. He explained that he was informed about the allegations while traveling for an event and is working to understand the full scope of the facts.
"My heart ... was to be able to share something that I love to share, which is the love of Christ and the good news of the gospel," Tebow said. "And so I think it’s really important that we can really understand all the facts and details of it."
The podcast’s investigation raised questions about Tebow’s awareness of Life Surge’s practices. The organization reportedly hosts events where Christian celebrities headline, and attendees are encouraged to enroll in expensive impact classes. According to the podcast, if attendees cannot afford the programs, Life Surge allegedly connects them with lenders to secure credit cards or home-equity loans.
Life Surge has denied any wrongdoing, according to the podcast.