GAINESVILLE — Tim Tebow said he will pause his relationship with Life Surge and his representatives will investigate allegations of wrongdoing involving the Christian organization the former Florida star has represented for the past five years.
Journalist Pablo Torre reported Thursday on his podcast, “Pablo Torre Finds Out”, that Tebow has spoken at dozens of Life Surge events and been paid a reported $50,000 to $100,000 per engagement.
Tebow, a devout Christian, said he used the platform to spread his message on faith.
“My heart in getting to share there 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 Friday while with ESPN’s SEC Nation ahead of No. 21 Florida’s visit from No. 4 Ole Miss. “So I think it’s really important that we can really understand all the facts and details of it.”
According to Torre’s report, Life Surge initially charges around $30 to attend an event featuring Tebow, then encourages attendees to sign up for three-day classes for $97 to learn successful strategies in the stock market and real estate. At those classes, options are offered for additional courses ranging from $10,000 to $50,000.
Torre reported that Life Surge suggests attendees apply for credit cards at temporary 0% interest rates offered by third-party brokers on site. The company also encourages people to take out lines of credit on their homes and use retirement accounts to cover costs.
The investments have left people in financial ruin, according to Torre’s report.
Tebow called the allegations, “extremely, extremely serious,” adding “it’s something that we take very serious,” before saying he was “pausing our relationship until we can learn more about the facts to be able to understand more.”
Florida legend Tim Tebow was in Gainesville Sept. 25, 2026 with ESPN’s SEC Nation ahead of the No. 21 Gators’ visit from No. 4 Ole Miss the next day in the Swamp, where the 39-year-old starred for UF from 2006-09. (Edgar Thompson / Orlando Sentinel)
Life Surge holds events nationwide featuring prominent speakers and entertainers, including Tebow, former Gators coach Urban Meyer, ESPN college football analyst Kirk Herbstreit and former Super Bowl winning quarterback Russell Wilson.
Tebow has been perhaps the organization’s most prominent speaker and was scheduled to speak at more than 20 events in 2026 before he paused his relationship with Life Surge.
Tebow said he was unaware of the company’s alleged misdeeds when Torre’s report surfaced.
“I was at an anti-human trafficking conference (Thursday), and my team shared with me when we were leaving as we were flying to Alabama for the event,” he said. “Kind of caught off guard with some of it, and I think that’s why really trying to understand more of the facts to really learn it.”
Gary W. Green, Orlando Sentinel
Tim Tebow motions to the crowd to bring it on during the Gators’ game at FSU in 2008. (Orlando Sentinel file)
Tebow was in Gainesville on Friday ahead of a game with special meaning for the 39-year-old Jacksonville native, who played quarterback at UF from 2006-09, won two national titles and the 2007 Heisman.
Arguably the seminal moment of his decorated career came after a 31-30 loss to Ole Miss early in the 2008 season. The loss inspired Tebow’s “Promise” speech.
Choking back tears, he vowed that no one in college football would work harder than the Gators, who would go on to win their final 10 games by an average of 35 points.
A plaque in the Swamp celebrates the moment, though Tebow was not sure he could recite it word for word.
“I’d probably get somewhat close,” he said with a smile. “The most important thing to me was to truly apologize, and that means saying I’m sorry, and that’s the part I think was most important is just repeating it twice, and then saying how things were going to be different.
“But still means a lot.”
Saturday’s matchup with Ole Miss is the most meaningful game in Gainesville in some time.
First-year coach Jon Sumrall’s Gators (3-0) could earn their first win against a Top 25 team, while the Rebels (3-0) look to defeat their third ranked opponent of 2026.
Tebow expects the game-day environment to bring back memories.
“There’s a chance that the Swamp will be crazier than it’s been in a long time,” he said. “So I’m excited about that because for Florida to have success that it needs to be one of the most-hostile places in the country.”
Edgar Thompson can be reached at egthompson@orlandosentinel.com