While the backward NFL continues to deserve ridicule for the unofficial banning of some football players, one of those players fired back by warning others not to hold the NFL -- or other professional sport -- in such high esteem.

SEC Nation and NFL hopeful Tim Tebow spoke at a benefit for the Cancer Wellness Foundation of Central Alabama with a message about the dangers of overhyping sports, according to the Montgomery Advertiser.

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"We choose to idolize certain things, and love certain things," Tebow said. "And I'm not saying it's wrong to love sports, I love them as much as anybody. But do we choose to really see what matters?"

Tebow told of an occurrence when he hosted a gala for his Tim Tebow Foundation, in which sports luminaries such as Deion Sanders, Evander Holyfield and Lindsey Vonn were in attendance.

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Also at the gala were three girls stricken with cancer, Tebow said. While the crowd focused on the celebrity athletes, the girls stood "arm-in-arm" in the background.

"And I was thinking, 'How messed up is this?'" Tebow said. "All these men and women that are celebrities, they're awesome, they're good friends of mine. They do a lot. And everyone was idolizing these men and women, and nobody was paying attention to these three girls. I think all of them would agree, these three girls have more character, heart and determination to fight through what they had fought through than any one of those celebrities. And I was watching it, and it so struck me, 'This is what matters. This is what we should be focusing on.'"

Tebow showed great strides during his preseason tryout with the Eagles last fall, but no other team has considered signing him and allowing him to continue to refine his skills.

Ray Rice, who is willing to educate anybody on domestic violence and how to use him as an example of what not to do, sat on the sidelines while several NFL teams -- including some playoff teams -- refused to sign him.

Meanwhile, Greg Hardy, Ray McDonald and Johnny Manziel were given second chances (and in some cases more).

At least it's good to know Tebow won't be crushed if he doesn't get another shot. He doesn't need to be idolized.

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