Tebow Defends Super Bowl Ad

College football star Tim Tebow says that he does not fear the backlash surrounding his upcoming appearance in a pro-life ad from Focus on the Family to be aired by CBS during the Super Bowl.

According to The Palm Beach Post, the University of Florida quarterback defended the 30-second ad in which he and his mother are expected to discuss her decision not to have an abortion in 1987 despite advice from doctors after she contracted an infection while traveling abroad. She gave birth to a healthy boy, Tim.

"I know some people won't agree with it, but I think they can at least respect that I stand up for what I believe, and I'm never shy about that," Tebow said Sunday, the Post reported. "I don't feel like I'm very preachy about it, but I do stand up for what I believe. Unfortunately in today's society not many athletes tend to do that. So I'm just standing for something."

According to the Associated Press, a coalition of women's groups led by the Women's Media Center urged CBS to drop the ad on Monday, arguing that it should be rejected in part because it is sponsored by Focus on the Family.

"By offering one of the most coveted advertising spots of the year to an anti-equality, anti-choice, homophobic organization, CBS is aligning itself with a political stance that will damage its reputation, alienate viewers, and discourage consumers from supporting its shows and advertisers," said the letter.

A spokesman for Focus on the Family told the AP that CBS carefully examined the group and found no reason for rejecting the ad, which would cost between $2.5 to $2.8 million. As a national network, CBS has policies that would preclude the broadcast of certain types of advocacy ads.

In 2004, CBS rejected an ad from the United Church of Christ that highlighted the group's welcoming stance toward gays and lesbians.