Tim Tebow returning to Empower Field for Sunday’s Broncos home opener against Jaguars

Tim Tebow is set to make his return to Denver.

The former Broncos quarterback is returning to Empower Field on Sunday for Denver’s game against Jacksonville to take part in the pregame tradition of planting the club’s alumni flag.

Tebow has not been back to the stadium since he threw the overtime touchdown to Demaryius Thomas to beat Pittsburgh on Jan. 8, 2012.

“It’ll be awesome to see him sort of in his environment, back in his spot,” quarterback Bo Nix said Thursday. “Our relationship has grown as we’ve gone on. I remember meeting him a while back and watching him play. I was a huge fan. He was my favorite quarterback growing up.”

Tebow won back-to-back national championships at Florida before getting drafted in the first round (No. 25 overall) by the Broncos in the 2010 draft. He started three games for the Broncos as a rookie and then 11 in 2011 and went 8-8 as the starter despite a 47.3% completion percentage. Stats, of course, only tell a sliver of Tebow’s story. He is one of the most famous college players of all time and he drew sharp opinions of all kinds because of his play style and also because of his outward expression of his faith.

Several Broncos players said they grew up watching him, including receiver Pat Bryant. Bryant grew up a Gators fan in Jacksonville, Florida, and both his parents attended the University of Florida.

“There was one game he had a jump pass for a game-winning touchdown,” Bryant said. “I can’t remember exactly what game that was, but I was probably in elementary school, probably got a couple beers spilled on me. My dad didn’t really care. I think he probably spilled the beer on me.

“Fun times in The Swamp.”

Tebow was traded to the New York Jets after Peyton Manning signed with Denver as a free agent in 2012. He spent one year with the Jets and then bounced around with New England and Philadelphia before turning his attention more fully to broadcasting.