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If you’ve ever seen an NFL player get down on their knees and pray, it’s not usually for show. There are many deeply religious professional football players who practice cultivating their relationship with a higher power. Here are 4 Super Bowl players who are strong in their faith.
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Kansas City Chief’s Patrick Mahomes Plays for God
A few years ago, the Chiefs quarterback opened up to reporters about his faith.
“Faith has always been big with me,” he said. He added that he grew up going to church.
Mahomes also said that God is on his mind when he’s playing for his team.
“Obviously I want to win every game, but I’m glorifying him every single time I’m out there,” he added. And he attributes his NFL success to God as well.
“I understand that he’s given me a lot of blessings in my life, and I’m trying to maximize them and glorify him.”
Speaking to IN Magazine (via BeliefNet), Patrick’s mom Randi said she remembers the moment her son became deeply religious. “In middle school, he got real involved with his youth group,” Randi said. “He got saved. There was a night at church, he had his hands raised to the Lord and he was singing. I just felt overcome with this most awesome moment, more than any football game, because I knew where his heart truly is.”
As for feeling God’s divine good graces, Patrick Mahomes sure does have a lot to be grateful for. Not only does he have a gorgeous wife, Brittany, but he also has two adorable children.
Philadelphia Eagles’ Jalen Hurts Has Faith that God Is Guiding Him
The Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts attributes his life and success to God. And with that comes a sense of remembering and giving credit.
“I’ve just matured and realized that God is everything,” Hurts told CBS Sports. “And He’s worthy of praise. You have to put Him at the center of everything that you do. That’s what I believe. All my spiritual wisdom — all of my wisdom as a whole — comes from Him, in some way, shape or form, whether that be passed down from my father, my mother, my grandmother. I just think, in all the things that we experience in life — good, bad or indifferent — you have to keep Him in the center.”
Jalen added that he felt it was his purpose to fill his shoes as a quarterback for the Eagles because of his faith in God guiding him. And part of that includes overcoming stereotypes as a Black man.
“Someone asked me other day,” he continued, “being an African-American quarterback in the NFL, being in this city, do I feel like I have (to) … open up, or be a certain way? And I’m like, this is who I am. God only made me one way. That’s to be me. That’s to be Jalen Hurts. I think, being in this city, being the quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles, and just having the opportunity to play the game I love most, in the best city of football, I just go out there every day and I am who I am, and I keep God in the center, I give Him all the praise, I lean on Him all the time, and I know that everything unfolds the way it’s supposed to.”
Kansas City Chiefs’ Juju Smith-Schuster Preaches Faith While Giving Back
Juju Smith-Schuster also doesn’t hold back on praising God. He gives regular shout-outs in gratitude on social media.
“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me,” said the KC Chiefs wide-receiver.
Smith-Schuster correspondingly tries to give back to the community with his JuJu Foundation. This past Christmas season, his foundation helped struggling families with over $10,000 in layaway gift purchases. He said that he grew up with humble roots and remembered not always being able to get the gifts he wanted. But now that he’s financially successful, he wants to help spread good will.
He said that in addition to giving back to the community, he wanted to win the Super Bowl this year. We’ll see if that happens!
Philadelphia Eagles’ Britain Covey Is a Former Christian Missionary
The Eagles wide-receiver and undrafted free agent is a proud member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He’s also an established missionary and visited Rancagua, Chile in 2017.
Speaking with LDS Living, Covey said he enjoys sparking up conversations about spirituality with other players.
“In football it’s really easy when you’re around the guys to view them as stereotypical football players who are hard-headed and who aren’t the church-going type,” Covey said. “But every single player that I asked about their religious beliefs, it’s like a new side of them comes out.”
He also added that he usually asks questions about beliefs and upraising, which often has an immediate effect on the vibes.
“You’ll see some of the toughest players open up and show their soft side,” Covey said. “You start to build relationships on true principles and not just on hollow activities. It’s just wonderful to share. I feel that God is very present in all of their lives, and it’s just cool to see that side to everybody.”
