No doubt about it, the GOP presidential candidates have Tebowmania. Every candidate except Jon Huntsman has at one time or another made a reference to Tebow or had such a reference made for him by a supporter. Often, those references amount to straight-up comparisons. You know, “Tim Tebow’s success was unexpected and so shall mine be.” That sort of comparison.

Apparently, they weren’t just talking for the sake of talking; a number of the candidates have explicitly asked Tebow for his endorsement, the quarterback told the Associated Press Sunday. Which candidates? The Mile High Messiah won’t say. But it doesn’t look like anyone will be able to tout the endorsement of America’s favorite athlete anytime soon:

He declined their offers. …

“I think you have to have so much trust in who you support, just from product endorsements to endorsing a candidate,” Tebow said, “because if that person or company does something [bad], it reflects on you.”

Tebow is staying mum, making the identity of his Republican political suitors the inside-the-beltway guessing game of the week.

Would it even matter? Would a Tebow endorsement of Rick Perry, for example, enable the Texas governor to leapfrog Romney, Gingrich and Santorum to win South Carolina? Probably not. But endorsements are a little like baseball cards; they’re fun to collect. They’re also something to brag about long after the primaries are over. “Maybe I didn’t win the nomination, but at least I earned Tim Tebow’s support.”

Keep praying, candidates! Or, better yet, stop asking for Tebow’s endorsement and start asking for his prayers instead.