Is the Football Player Jim Kelly a Born Again Christian
Randall Cunningham
Randall W. Cunningham is a former American football quarterback in the National Football game League and current football coach and pastor.
After playing college football at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, he was selected in the second round of the 1985 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles, with whom he remained through the 1995 season.
He announced his retirement from football following the end of that season.
After he left football in 1996, Cunningham returned to Las Vegas, where he had attended college at UNLV, and started a custom marble and granite visitor. He spent more than fourth dimension with his wife, Felicity. Simply, nearly important to Cunningham, the time away from football allowed him to reconnect with his Christian organized religion.
Before signing with Minnesota a year later, he said he prayed to God, request for one favor: "Don't let me go back to the person I used to be. Don't let me become the prideful person. Don't let me exist big-headed."
"When he came to Minnesota, the No. 1 thing in his life was his faith," said Cris Carter, who played with Cunningham for three seasons in Philadelphia and three seasons in Minnesota. Cunningham retired for good later on the 2001 flavor and never reverted to his former self, returning to Las Vegas and raising a family.
These days, Cunningham still performs in front of big crowds on Sundays. Only at present he does so in church. He became an ordained pastor for a nondenominational church he founded, Remnant Ministries.
While in the pulpit, he will sometimes expect back on the one-time Randall Cunningham, offering himself every bit an example of how significant and lasting changes tin happen when they're least expected. "Whenever you've gone through wounds and things like that, there comes a 24-hour interval where God heals y'all," Cunningham said. "And he healed me."
Deion Sanders
Deion Luwynn Sanders, Sr. is an American quondam football and baseball player, who works every bit an analyst for CBS Sports and the NFL Network. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on August 6, 2011.
In 1997, cornerback and former baseball game outfielder Deion Sanders appear, shocking many fans, that he was a born-again Christian. Most fans knew him equally the flashy, arrogant "Prime Fourth dimension" and "Neon Deion," but after some life-changing experiences, he says he gave his life to the Lord.
Deion describes his born-again experience this way.
The Bible describes information technology in the first affiliate of Ecclesiastes as chasing after the wind, and that's exactly what it was like. I tried to past myself something to make me happy and I was even emptier than earlier, because I could run into that aught could possibly satisfy the hunger that was deep downwardly inside of me.
I tried throwing myself into my career, into sports, trying to run into how far I could get, and when I achieved every goal I could think of, I was right back where I started. Empty, empty, empty and zilch I did could touch that deep loneliness within of me. I was just running, I couldn't stop.
My life was falling apart. I was pretty much at the bottom during all this. My baseball game game started to fall off and before long some of the guys on the squad could encounter something was wrong. But I don't think anybody e'er guessed that my life was in abattoir.
I was struggling with simply about everything in my life. My attorney (Eugene) could see what I was going through and he tried to help every bit much every bit he could, but I was so disappointed and disturbed virtually the fashion things were falling apart that I wouldn't listen to his advice most of the time. He talked well-nigh his organized religion, how Jesus gave his life purpose, and things like that, simply I wasn't fix to receive any of that.
(Afterward) I started asking Eugene what it meant to be a believer in Jesus Christ and he was telling me about beingness saved, and near this fourth dimension I got a call from a guy I used to play with on the 49ers, Marc Logan. He was playing for the Washington Redskins and he was planning on beingness in Cincinnati that nighttime and would similar to meet with me. And then after the game, Marc can to the ballpark and we met.
We drove downwardly to an IHOP and we must accept sabbatum in that location for three or four hours. I really respected Marker as a person and as a Christian.
Subsequently we ate dinner, nosotros sabbatum there in the same seats for hours, and he was telling me about how the Lord was working in his life. At one signal he asked me, "Deion, are yous saved?" And I said, "No, homo, I can't say that I am. Merely my attorney has been asking me the same question." Of grade, Eugene knew I wasn't saved, but I had been reading up on it, and after talking with Marc I went domicile and went to bed, and this stuff was actually on my heed.
I was lying there in bed about four o'clock in the morning time when I was awakened past these awesome lights in my room. I say it was like a 747 had landed beside my bed, and there was this incredible rush of wind that felt like a helicopter had come in with information technology.
I retrieve opening my eyes but the slightest scrap and saying, "God, if that's You, accept me! Take me, Lord," and I was trembling all over. Earlier long information technology was silent and the lights disappeared, and later on that nighttime I got up and opened my Bible to a passage that said, "If you confess with your oral fissure the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you lot volition be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the rima oris confession is made unto conservancy" (Romans ten:9-ten). The words hit me similar a ton of bricks. I knew they were meant for me and at that precise moment I was delivered.
I put my trust in Jesus and I asked Him into my life. And as soon as I realized what I had done I was so excited I had to tell somebody, and so I got on the phone and called my chaser and said,"Eugene, I did it! I got saved!"
After that, little things started to change. I was just feeding myself, day by day, constantly growing in the faith. Then in that location would exist a storm there, and I would stumble, but I knew I had to keep on going.
Reggie White
Reginald Howard "Reggie" White was an American higher and professional football player who was mostly a defensive end but as well played some defensive tackle in the National Football League for 15 seasons during the 1980s and 90s.
He played college football game for the University of Tennessee, and was recognized as an All-American. After playing two professional person seasons for the Memphis Showboats of the U.s. Football League, he was selected in the commencement circular of the 1984 Supplemental Draft, and and then played for the NFL's Philadelphia Eagles, Green Bay Packers, and Carolina Panthers, becoming 1 of the virtually decorated players in NFL history.
At age 13, he accustomed Jesus every bit his savior, later telling his mom, Thelma, that he wanted to exist a pro football player and a preacher.
He later had to exist bullied by his white football game coach, Robert Pulliam, from being "a nice, big, Sunday school boy who didn't want to hurt anyone" into a difficult-playing football player. At age 17, at St. Johns Baptist Church building, he was ordained a minister of The Gospel. Two years later he met Sara Copeland, a fired-up and beautiful new believer and they married after 2 years.
Known as a fearless defensive terminate in his playing days, White was also known as a profound abet of his Christian beliefs and his allegiance to his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. One-time Los Angeles Raiders wide receiver Dokie Williams said that White "was an awesome individual. He loved the Lord!" Williams added that the former all-pro expressed "a existent love for [people] and anyone whom he ran into. Reggie's middle was as large as he was."
White, who became known for his work with inner-city youths, was a friend and supporter of former San Diego Charger cornerback Gil Bryd, who has an organization that also targets at-take chances inner-city kids for assistance and encouragement from professional athletes like White.
In his playing days, Reggie was regularly spotted on the field after a game praying with players from both teams and encouraging them in the Christian faith. White also became known as a courageous homo of faith, unafraid to take on "politically wrong" subject matter. For example, White was persecuted by the secular media in the belatedly 1990s for his biblical stands on homosexuality and the family.
Reggie had sarcoidosis and was stricken at his home in Hunterville, North Carolina on 26 December 2004 and died shortly in the hospital at the age of 43.
Emmitt Smith
Emmitt James Smith, 3 is an American former college and professional football actor who was a running back in the National Football League for fifteen seasons during the 1990s and 2000s.
Smith played higher football for the Academy of Florida, where he was a unanimous All-American. A showtime-round pick in the 1990 NFL Draft, he played professionally for the Dallas Cowboys and Arizona Cardinals of the NFL, and is widely considered to be one of the greatest running backs in NFL history.
Emmitt became a Christian at an early historic period, but it wasn't the top priority in his life. His dream was to play for the Dallas Cowboys and to go the NFL'southward all-time leading rusher. Merely throughout high school, he was told he didn't take the size or the speed to make it in higher, much less, the NFL, just that didn't discourage him.
"Well, I hateful it, it bothered me to hear them ignominy my ability," says Emmitt. "I used information technology equally fuel. I used it as motivation. I used information technology as something to keep me going and striving to continue to be successful. Because they didn't concur my destiny in their easily."
In 1987, despite the obstacles, Emmitt earned a scholarship to the University of Florida. Before he left his grandmother gave him a Bible verse that would assist him confront the challenges that lay alee.
"Proverbs iii and half-dozen," remembers Emmitt. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean non unto your own understanding. In all thy means acknowledge him and he shall straight thy path. Anytime I found myself in a situation, I would lean on that verse."
The 1997 flavor, proved tough for Emmitt and the rest of "America's Squad." The injury-plagued Cowboys mustered just a 6-10 tape. And a banged up Emmitt was looking for answers. Merely he remembered the Bible verse his grandmother gave him.
"At some point you lot outset saying to yourself, 'what am I doing,'" says Emmitt. "I started asking myself, that means my spirit was similar churning, like this can't be it. This is not the end to all things. This is good for a moment, but it's not that. And then I started just like thirsty. I was going through a little chip of turbulence in my career. And so, it's funny how turbulence itself will make you lot hold onto something for security. And so the only thing I knew is trust in the Lord and lean not unto your own heart, in all thy means acknowledge him and he shall directly thy path."
That's when Emmitt met bishop T.D. Jakes.
"I ran into Bishop Jakes. And it all inverse, right and then and at that place," says Emmitt. "I went to The Potter's House. He actually moved to Dallas around in '95, I believe. And I went to a Man Ability conference. 'Power, Coin, and Sex, PMS' was the title of the sermon. And I was sitting in at that place and he was talking near it, existence continued, being connected to the right source."
Emmitt rededicated his life to Jesus Christ. With his organized religion as the number one priority, Emmitt had 1 goal he hadn't achieved. In his 13th season as a cowboy, Emmitt became the NFL's all-time leading rusher. He spent his final two seasons with the Arizona Cardinals retiring the post-obit flavor in 2004.
Mike Singletary
Michael "Mike" Singletary is an American football coach and one-time professional football player. Later on playing higher football for Baylor Academy, Singletary was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the 2d round of the 1981 NFL Draft and was known every bit "The Centre of the Defense" for the Chicago Bears' Monsters of the Midway in the mid-1980s.
He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1998. Singletary afterward pursued a career every bit a coach, first equally a linebackers bus for the Baltimore Ravens, then as the linebackers coach for the San Francisco 49ers.
In 2008, the 49ers promoted Singletary to the head coaching position after previous head omnibus Mike Nolan was fired during the season and he remained in that position until he was fired with one game remaining in the 2010 flavour.
Although Mike was raised in a Christian dwelling, the decadent lifestyle of sports super-distinction had overshadowed his organized religion.
In an interview with the 700 Club, Mike said that he had come up to a crossroads. "I just remember, one day, breaking down. I recollect saying, 'Lord, I'1000 supposed to be Your son, and You don't talk to me, employ me. You don't do annihilation. I don't understand this.' In my spirit, I heard two things. Ane was 'I want to use you, simply there are some things that you gotta clean upwards start.' The 2d thing that I had to do [was] forgive my male parent."
Mike'southward male parent divorced his mother and walked out on the family unit when Mike was 12 years quondam.
"What people don't empathize near forgiveness is that you're the one that's in prison. You lot're the one that's going to exist pain. When I did that, the Lord began to change my life," Mike says.
"Twenty-four hour period to day, he began to take away some of the bad habits that I had. He began to take away the linguistic communication that I was speaking. He began to take abroad some of the places that my optics used to wait. He began to take away some of the music that I listened to i by ane.
Had it not been for Jesus Christ in my life, I'thousand sure I'd be divorced. I'1000 certain that I'd know my kids from a distance."
Ray Lewis
Raymond Anthony Lewis, Jr. is a former American football linebacker who played his entire 17-yr career for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football game League.
He played higher football game for the University of Miami, and earned All-American honors. Drafted past the Ravens in 1996, Lewis was the last actor remaining from the countdown team at the outset of the 2012–xiii flavor.
Although Lewis' Christian organized religion may be news to some, he has always been religious. Relatives who recently spoke with Yahoo! Sports reporter Eric Adelson said Lewis' grandmother, considered the "backbone" of his family, had always encouraged the 37-year-old Super Bowl XXXV MVP as a young boy to read the Bible and attend church.
"Lewis is known now for his preaching, but he was a junior deacon as a kid. He could recite poetry at age 4," Adelson learned from Lewis' family.
While Lewis has been a member of Empowerment Temple AME Church building in Baltimore, Doc and a friend of Dr. Jamal Bryant the pastor of the church, for about seven years, the linebacker has partnered with the church in community outreach efforts, and has been very agile in charitable piece of work throughout his career. His Ray Lewis 52 Foundation, founded several years ago, helps to provide disadvantaged youth with personal and economic assist.
In 2013'southward Super Bowl Gospel Commemoration, Lewis received a Lifetime of Inspiration Award "for his faith-filled determination to overcome trials and tribulations on and off the field, while recognizing him for his remarkable football career."
Kurt Warner
Kurtis Eugene "Kurt" Warner is a former American football quarterback, a current part-time Idiot box football analyst, and a philanthropist. He played for three National Football League teams, the St. Louis Rams, the New York Giants, and the Arizona Cardinals.
He was originally signed past the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent in 1994 after playing college football at Northern Iowa. Warner went on to exist considered the best undrafted NFL role player of all fourth dimension, following a 12-year career regarded equally one of the greatest stories in NFL history.
On Kurt'southward website "Showtime Things Start" Kurt writes.
"I was raised in the church, and so faith and God were part of my life, but for me it was simply kind of there… in that location on Sundays and when I was going through a tough time. I always had God equally a background, merely I never truly accustomed Jesus until I was nearly 25 years onetime.
My arena league teammates, a pastor friend and my future wife were constantly asking questions about my beliefs, and I began to question where I was and whether I had actually put my complete faith in God.
Their questions led me to the Truth – that faith is about a relationship, and it's about Jesus. Upwardly to that point, I had never really considered that. I struggled for so long then many things went against me. I was pond upstream.
When I finally gave my life over to God, information technology was and so the joy and happiness came into my life. Now I realize my office here on Earth is not to throw touchdown passes and win football game games, although that is the position and the platform I have been given.
I realize my goal is to win as many people to Jesus equally possible. I have an open up-door policy, where I'm able to talk about what is most important to me, and obviously God is #1."
Frank Reich
Frank Michael Reich, Jr. is an American football coach and sometime thespian in the National Football game League. He is the offensive coordinator for the Philadelphia Eagles.
Reich played college football for the University of Maryland. He was chosen by the Buffalo Bills in the 3rd round of the 1985 NFL draft, and also played for the Carolina Panthers, New York Jets and Detroit Lions of the NFL.
Reich and Buffalo Bills starter Jim Kelly formed one of the longest-tenured backup-and-starter tandems, playing together for nine seasons from 1986 to 1994.
For a time, he had the distinction of having led his squad to the biggest improvement victory always in both the higher and NFL ranks.
Drafted by the Buffalo Bills in 1985, Frank started in the playoff game against the Houston Oilers in a bid for the Super Bowl. As the Oilers charged to a 35-3 lead, Frank Reich looked to end their stampede one play at a time. Every bit a outcome, Buffalo somewhen won in overtime 41 to 38—an NFL comeback record that still stands today.
During the second quarter of Super Bowl XXVII, the Nib's starter Jim Kelly had to go out the game due to injury and Frank entered the game. Unfortunately, the Buffalo Bills lost 52 to 17, one of the almost lopsided Super Bowls of all time.
Frank went from the highest mountaintop to the deepest valley in three weeks. Merely in that painful journey, he still discovered victory over thwarting and destruction. He plant that each person's hope and strength is in Christ, and through Him we prevail in the near difficult of times.
In recent years, Frank has served equally president of the Reformed Theological Seminary and pastor of Cornerstone Church, both located in Charlotte, Due north Carolina.
In an interview with CBN Frank shared this piece of wisdom.
"God is the creator of the heavens and earth. God has created each one of us, and He has a plan for us to have an intimate human relationship with Him. When nosotros submit our lives to that plan, thats when I believe He really sets us free for the outset time. For those that sit and wonder what Gods plan for their life is, I think its articulate that His plan is for salvation in Christ and in Christ alone."
Shaun Alexander
Shaun Edward Alexander is a former American football running back who played for the Seattle Seahawks and Washington Redskins of the National Football League.
He played college football for the University of Alabama, and was drafted by the Seahawks 19th overall in the 2000 NFL Typhoon.
In May 2011, he was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame. Alexander set numerous NFL and Seattle Seahawks' franchise records, and was named the NFL MVP in 2005. He was also named to the NFL's 2000 All-Decade team.
A born-once more Christian, Alexander and his wife are very outspoken about their faith and are regular attendees at Christian Faith Centre, a charismatic megachurch in Federal Way.
Firm supporters of abstinence and sexual purity, Shaun and Valerie both were virgins when they married. Alexander has discussed the issue publicly on many occasions, including in his book Touchdown Alexander.
In an interview with CBN Shaun shares his conversion experience.
"My first prayer was really unproblematic," Shaun recalls. "I was like, 'God, I don't know much but I practice know how to be obedient.' That was my commencement prayer [at] 10 years former.
"That's just how I live my life — chasing after Christ, finding new ways to go closer to Him. I want to do what children of God do, and that's become all out for Christ."
That ways staying in the hotel and away from parties and clubs that his teammates go to.
"When you start breaking down things in the Bible and your chasing after the Bible, you lot're proverb, 'Hey I'm gonna be obedient no matter what I experience like I want to do. That's picking up your cross daily.'"
Matt Hasselbeck
Matthew Michael Hasselbeck is an American football quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. He was drafted in the sixth round of the 1998 NFL Draft past the Light-green Bay Packers.
Afterwards a flavor on the practice team and two seasons backing up Brett Favre, he was traded to the Seattle Seahawks in 2001. Hasselbeck led Seattle to six playoff appearances and a Super Bowl. He has been selected to 3 Pro Bowls and was an All-Pro in 2005.
Matt shared the function that God has had in his life with virtually ane,200 attendees of the annual Fellowship of Christian Athletes fundraising feast at the Nashville Convention Center in 2012.
Hasselbeck shared his testimony through a question-and-reply session with WSMV-TV sports managing director Rudy Kalis.
"God'south plans were meliorate than my plans," Hasselbeck said.
He elaborated on that past saying that he envisioned a different path to the NFL, peradventure one that included an invite to the scouting combine, being drafted before than the sixth circular or spending his entire rookie flavour on the practice squad.
Hasselbeck said he's been able to come across God'southward work when he reflects from his time equally a backup in Light-green Bay, to when he became the starter in Seattle and when he joined Tennessee in 2011 after ten seasons with the Seahawks.
Tim Tebow
Timothy Richard Tebow is an American football quarterback who is a free agent. In improver to his playing skills, he received considerable press attending for his public displays of Christianity, both on and off the field.
He played college football for the Academy of Florida, winning the Heisman Bays in 2007 and appearing on BCS National Championship-winning teams during the 2006 and 2008 seasons. Tebow was selected by the Denver Broncos in the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft.
He has as well played for the New York Jets and had a cursory stint with the New England Patriots.
When Tim Tebow was playing for the Florida Gators, instead of putting on the gridiron black underneath his optics, he put on Scripture.
Ane time he put John 3:16 under his optics and this verse was at the superlative of the search engine for the next 24 hours. The search engines were busier that adjacent day than they had e'er been previously over whatsoever other single Bible poetry.
Not only does Tim Tebow profess his organized religion, he displays it for the world to meet.
In an Easter service xv miles north of Austin Tx. Tim Tebow shared his testimony of conservancy with over 20,000 people.
"I still remember when I was a little boy lying in my bed," he said. "I had been to church and I had been to devotionals and all sorts of things," he recalled.
"It was the beginning time that I realized in my life that if I got in a auto the next morning and I drove and got in a crash and died, I really believed I was going to dice and go to hell."
This sobering reality pierced his young heart and mind. "I couldn't slumber that night," he admitted.
Later on tossing and turning in the darkness, he got upward at dawn and bolted to his parents' room. "I grabbed my mom and said, 'I want to inquire Jesus into my heart!'
Mother and son walked to the living room, and then Tim got downwards on his knees and asked Jesus to be his Savior and Lord. "I know from that moment on I went from darkness to calorie-free and my eternity was sealed because I had a relationship with Jesus Christ," he declared earlier the crowd.
"He came in and forgave my sins and I was so thankful for that. My life was eternally inverse and I am eternally grateful."
Ed Tandy McGlasson
Edward Tandy McGlasson is a former American football offensive lineman in the National Football game League and pastors the Stadium Vineyard Church in Anaheim, California.
Built-in and raised in Potomac, Maryland, he played for the Youngstown State Penguins, Los Angeles Rams, the New York Jets, and the New York Giants before entering full-time ministry.
Ed shares his testimony of coming to religion in Christ this style.
"One day at practice, there was a "freak" fumble on the ground. "A freshman dove through my left knee to get the fumble," Ed recalls. As Ed collapsed he heard his knee joint ligaments rip. "It was an unbelievable sound in my caput."
Doctors told him all three major ligaments were torn and he would probably not play football again. He needed major reconstructive surgery the side by side forenoon. Ed went back to his dorm room with an ice pack. "To say I was devastated would be an understatement," he says. "Everything I worked for was gone. I didn't know what to do."
And then came a knock on his door. A immature man named Bill Romanowski (no relation to the football game role player) entered the room, surveyed Ed'south sorry condition, and said, "Hi Ed, I'm the campus pastor here."
While Ed's grandmother was a Christian Scientist, Ed had no involvement or previous involvement in organized religion. They exchanged a few pleasantries, then Romanowski said, "Ed, you take a lot of things going for you, simply you lack one thing."
"What'southward that?" Ed wanted to know.
"Jesus Christ."
"What's he going to do for me here?" Ed asked.
Without hesitating, Romanowski quoted John 3:sixteen, "For God then loved the world, he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall non perish, merely have eternal life." The words were vaguely familiar to Ed due to the influence of the "Rainbow Man" who appeared at sporting events with the verse prominently displayed.
This time, the words carried a power with them that penetrated his heart and awakened his soul as never before. "Right at that moment, my heart was opened to God. I knew that Jesus Christ was God's Son and He died for me."
"Would you like to receive Jesus Christ as your Savior?" Romanowski asked. Ed nodded his head and he was born from in a higher place past the ability of the Word and the Spirit.
Before Romanowski left the dorm room he offered to pray for Ed'south articulatio genus. "He put his hand on my water ice purse and said a very elementary prayer. "Heal Ed's knee in Jesus' name."
"I didn't experience annihilation because my knee was frozen," Ed recalls.
Early the next morning, he reported to the infirmary for surgery. The doctors informed him they would like to do one more examination, an arthrogram, which would shoot dye into the human knee as a contrast to survey the damaged areas.
The md returned after an hour shaking his head. "I don't understand this, but somehow the ligaments that were torn yesterday are reattached. I guess your human knee is healed."
Ed's eyes got wide, filled with incredulity. "I couldn't believe my ears, I was so excited," he says. Notwithstanding in his soft cast, he jumped off the gurney and began to scream.
"Hallelujah, hallelujah!"
As he walked back to his dorm room, he began to talk to God for the first fourth dimension. At this stage, he didn't own a Bible and had never been effectually Christians. "What do you want with my life," Ed asked God.
The nonetheless pocket-size phonation of the Lord spoke to his eye. "Ed, I want yous to fulfill your dream and play professional football.""
Ed has spoken at numerous conferences across the land and around the world, including sharing his testimony at Billy Graham events. Ed'due south start book "The Difference a Father Makes" has over 200,000 copies in print. Ed and his married woman Jill, live in Orange, California with their v children.
Ed is also a personal friend of mine and the inspiration for writing this article.
Writer's Notation:
I promise you have enjoyed the Christian testimonies of these NFL legends. I know that there are many more Christians in the NFL than are listed hither. In fact, if I listed all of them information technology might take a few days to read all the testimonies.
Please experience free to share some of your favorite NFL players that take Christian testimonies. I am sure we all would like to hear of their organized religion in Christ also.
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Source: https://viralbeliever.com/12-nfl-legends-who-have-faith-on-and-off-the-field/
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