Super Bowl 2012: Tim Tebow 'Tebows' With Maria Menounos

The NFL stud who seemed to receive the most attention this Super Bowl weekend wasn't even playing in the game. The guy who was at the center of every media mob was none other than Tim Tebow.

Waiting on the red carpet at the ESPN magazine event Friday night, you would have thought Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt arrived when Tebow walked through the metal detector and set off a shutterbug frenzy.

Deciding not to do any interviews, but rather just pose for photographers and video crews, Tebow had no idea that the real fan mob would descend once he stepped foot inside the party.

No one was more aggressive when it came to getting the young football star's attention than "Extra" TV host Maria Menounos. The Tebow enthusiast talked with the player for more than two hours before convincing him to "Tebow" with her.

"I was his first," Menounos told me the following day. "He told me at the party he had never 'Tebowed' with anyone else before, ever."

FOLLOW NAUGHTY BUT NICE ROB ON TWITTER

Related on HuffPost:

Comments

[krockster44]

09:09 AM on 02/18/2012

This Maria chick should have left Tebow alone & not hounded him for 2 hours to "Tebow" with him. Getting down on 1 knee on the sidelines at games was a private thing for him. She should not have made a mockery out of it. Too bad he finally relented & gave in to her hounding. Shame on you Maria. (It is the media & fans that have made a spectacle out of Tim Tebow's kneeling/praying, etc.)

[luvwck]

04:15 PM on 02/15/2012

Well......fan or not, it seems odd to just kneel for a photo op, can't say I think this was a good idea on his part.

[AfterSomeThought]

01:07 PM on 02/09/2012

Just goes to show how meaningless his gesture is.

Was he thanking god for the free donut holes or her short skirt? Both awesome things, mind you...

[Tuan Vu]

40 minutes ago ( 1:56 AM)

It's because everyone else makes a big deal about it. He's just having a bit of fun with her. It's okay for Christians to have a sense of humor.

[kennlrs]

12:37 PM on 02/09/2012

The reason that Super Bowl 2012 fans were so excited about meeting Broncos pro football quarterback Tim Tebow is prior to the January 2012 Broncos-Steelers game Time Tebow hand-lettered the title "John 3:16" below his two eyes. During the later game, Tebow had the strikinbg game statistics of 31.6 and also 316 total yards. John 3:16: "For God so loved the world, that He gave his only Begotten Son, that whosever believeth in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life." Tebow won the game on the very first pass-play that was also the last play in overtime---and the Bible speaks of the "first" and the "last." Bible scholars think that the Tebow incident could be one of the latter-day signs of the times cited also in St. Matthew 24:30.

[Squidwoman]

12:27 PM on 02/09/2012

Way to turn prayer into performance art!!! Might as well go on the mighty Tebow Prayer Tour. Unbelievable.

[Rizz]

11:21 AM on 02/09/2012

Tee-hee...

And he didn't even realize...

[Powderfinger]

10:32 AM on 02/09/2012

Oh, what a religious experience! Help me, I feel faint....

[jlglaze]

10:20 AM on 02/09/2012

To one of the finest young men to grace the country not only on the football field but in his personal life off the football field. Why anyone would want to criticize this young man is beyond comprehension. He's a wonderful athlete and Christian young man. A terrific role model for today's youth. Be generous people and be proud of him.

[nfatt1]

12:32 PM on 02/09/2012

Isn't religion one of those private things like sex, where you don't talk about it ?

[krockster44]

08:58 AM on 02/18/2012

No, not really. If religion is truly a part of your life, dictates how you live your life, & is genuine, it should be on public display because it is who you are & should not be hid as something to be ashamed of. Jesus said "if you glorify me before men, I will glorify you before my heavenly Father". Unlike the fake religiousity of our presidents & others who use religion for show, etc., Tebow's the real deal. It's just part of who he is. This Maria chick should not have hounded him to "Tebow" with her. Him getting down on 1 knee to thank God momentarily at games is a private thing he does, that is made public by the media. She should have respected this & left him alone. Too bad he relented.

[nspencer4]

09:44 AM on 02/09/2012

No man crush here, but why hate on this man? Everyone wants to judge him...only because of his faith. It's like the second coming of Jesus. Wasn't he treated poorly as well, because of what he believed? Perhaps if we all shared his beliefs and faith our country wouldn't be in the poor position it is in now! "In God We Trust" got us to the point of the greatest nation in the world, and then we ditched those beliefs. Now look at us! Keep believing and showing us how to believe Tim Tebow!

[mandyjacinda]

11:44 AM on 02/09/2012

YES!!! TOTALLY AGREE! Love the post! "In GOD We Trust!"

[braq88]

12:19 PM on 02/09/2012

“When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you." Matthew 6:5-6 Tebow is known for public prayer which was condemned by Jesus. This is why people criticize him. It's not because of his faith. It's because he comes off as pompous about it and engages in a practice that Jesus clearly frowned upon while claiming to be a Christian. I'm not saying he's trying to be pompous, or he is only trying to impress people with his piety, but that's the impression many get.

[krockster44]

09:04 AM on 02/18/2012

Public prayer is so not condemned by Jesus. Math. 6:5-6 is misunderstood (& misused). Tebow doesn't stand on street corners making a show of it as the scriptural passage discourages. His momentarily gesture of gratitude to God on the sidelines was always a private thing not for show. He does not do it so that he can be seen & applauded by men, like the hypocrites as that passage says. The media & fans are the ones who have made a spectacle of it & him, & his sincere gestures of his faith. Tebow is open about his faith & is sincere. Jesus said "if you glorify me before men, I will glorify you before my heavenly Father".

[lastchancepawn]

09:43 AM on 02/09/2012

It is obvious that he is putting pride in it's place and letting you know where his strength comes from. How in America can we mock our creator? How can we take him out of our schools and not expect the problems that we are facing in them. If there is nothing to God, why is everyone trying to prove he isn't real? We are a nation of spoiled brats and allowing our kids to become the same way in an attempt to keep them from becoming what We are. You see it's our nature- the Adamic nature, without this God the Tim is acknowledging we are left to ourselves.

[glynparson]

10:31 AM on 02/09/2012

How about because this country is doomed because we have in fact put mythology above science. we have put what we wish to be true over that which is true.

[orlandeaux]

10:40 AM on 02/09/2012

Pretty much every nation in the history of the world has acknowledged a god or creator in some form. Our founding fathers most certainly did. If our country is doomed it is because of selfish political practices, corruption and deceit, not a belief in God. If anything maybe it would help if some of our leaders actually did go by a Biblical philosophy, putting others before themselves and acting in true love and compassion.

[rgif102478]

10:45 AM on 02/09/2012

Did you know that science is the last word in sayscience, it's all about ghost,
spooks, halloween and tails from the other side. Now you should come on over
to the Sun and see the light.

[Rob Shuter]

04:59 PM on 02/07/2012

I met Tim at Super bowl...he was like a dear in headlights poor thing

[sparkybrown7877]

09:42 AM on 02/07/2012

Ok now, it's getting old...... geesh....(roll eyes)........

[markatlarge]

04:18 PM on 02/06/2012

Uh-oh it like Like Tebow is looking up Maria's skirt. He better say 10 hail mary's and 5 our father for impure thoughts.
Check out all the dudes MAN Crushing on Tebow: http://markatlarge.com/everybodys-man-crushing-of-tim-tebow/

[ariasmac]

05:28 PM on 02/06/2012

Well... that means I'd have to say like 1 thousand our father's because of the impure thoughts Maria makes me have...

[jsmit]

11:06 AM on 02/07/2012

Tebow's not Catholic so it wouldn't work.

[Raquel M A]

01:47 PM on 02/06/2012

oh please not another one, tebow, pls be the first, maybe someone humanitarian ie nurse/doctor/social worker/teacher, not another celebrity/model, or of at least almost equal to.

[Rob Shuter]

01:37 PM on 02/06/2012

I just saw Maria in Times Square in a bikini shooting Extra...this girl knows how to get attention

[Wood]

08:40 PM on 02/08/2012

Too much exposure for him