It seems only fitting that the brutal world of professional football would be led by devout Christians. After all, it takes Faith for quarterbacks to stand in the pocket as 300-pound defensive line try to drive them into the turf. More than two-thirds of NFL quarterbacks are reportedly Christians with varying degrees of conviction. These are some of the devout young quarterbacks that are men of Gods.
Carson Wentz (Philadelphia Eagles)
The second-year starter recently made a big media splash by coming out nationally about his devotion to Jesus Christ. Over the summer, Wentz addressed the First Assembly Church of Fargo of Fargo, N.D., with a half-hour sermon and has received both praise and snarky remarks from football fans for his Christian Twitter posts.
“You’re always walking that fine line, without a doubt,” Wentz reportedly said about his Christian Faith. “I always tell people, for example, ‘If you love your job, you love your wife, you love what you do, you’re going to talk about it. Well, I love Jesus.’ That’s what I love, so I’m going to talk about it. But I’m not going to force it down your throat either.”
Wentz, a potential Most Valuable Player candidate, believes that he is obligated to act as a disciple and spread the Word.
Derek Carr (Oakland Raiders)
It may be difficult to imagine that the leader of the renegade Raiders is a devout Christian. What may be more difficult for the football world to wrap their collective heads around is that the Pro Bowl quarterback’s Faith has been a driving force behind the organization’s return to prominence.
Carr, the younger brother of former No. 1 overall NFL draft pick David Carr, was selected in the second round by a Raiders franchise at perhaps its lowest point in history. His first professional win didn’t come until deep into his rookie season and the first words he spoke were to thank God. That stands as a tremendous statement about both his Christian devotion and the humility he learned from his wife, Heather, when they were just best friends.
As a high school quarterback, it was clear that Derek would follow his brother’s path to the NFL. He put up astonishing passing numbers, but fell prey to prideful behavior. Heather called him out on it. She pointed out that he talked like a Christian but was not walking the walk. That grounded him and helped pull him closer to his Christian upbringing. In a way, Carr was reborn after taking ownership and confessing to his teammates.
In Oakland, he carries his Faith openly and has been joined by head coach Jack Del Rio and numerous teammates. Yes, the Silver and Black, rogue Raiders are now a band of devout Christians.
Marcus Mariota (Tennessee Titans)
Marcus Mariota can be described as many things. He won the Heisman Trophy in 2014 as college football’s best athlete. The 6’4” quarterback can run the 40-yard dash in under 5 seconds and was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2015 NFL draft. He’s an athletic phenom. But most of all, Marcus Mariota is a man of God.
The pro signal-caller’s Faith has evolved and grown over the years. He has reportedly said that he “learned about God and Jesus Christ, but I wasn’t really invested in it” in high school. His Faith swelled while in college and he wears his Christian Faith openly as a professional athlete.
“When things start to get rough you find comfort in your Faith,” he reportedly said. “Knowing that no matter what, you can dust yourself off and be okay. You do it for your teammates, your family, but also for His glory and to represent His name.”
Jameis Winston (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
The No. 1 overall 2015 NFL draft pick has been an overnight sensation in Florida. He was selected to the Pro Bowl after his rookie season and has energized the former basement franchise into a divisional force. Although Winston is a devout Christian today, he didn’t necessarily enter the league as a man of God.
He was considered a talented, yet troubled player in college. Before the draft, there was speculation that his status could fall due to red flags and leadership deficiencies. The Tampa field general took a major step toward being one of the team’s spiritual leaders by accepting Jesus Christ in 2016. He was reportedly baptized at a Christian Pro Athletes Outreach conference with his girlfriend.
~ Christian Patriot Daily
