You may know that this football season has seen conflict around the national anthem causing a drop in ratings, but you may not know that Super Bowl LII features a team of many new believers.
Behind the scenes many NFL players have experienced a transformational faith. Fox News reported that Philadelphia Eagles' Wide Receiver Marcus Johnson was baptized in a hotel pool with teammates, many of them new or seasoned Christians also, by his side http://www.foxnews.com/sports/2017/10/15/philadelphia-eagles-marcus-johnson-baptized-in-hotel-pool-with-teammates-by-his-side.amp.html. These men can now pass their faith on to their children, something that was so significant to one now-famous college athlete.
The faith of an athlete and his family can change everything. National Champion Alabama’s Freshman quarterback Toa Tagovailoa is a collegiate example of faith & family in football.
In a remarkably humble interview after that final game, Tagovailoa said in a spontaneous interview, “I would like to thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. With Him all things are possible.” Previously interviewed by BreakPoint, and Sports Illustrated, he shared about his faith and his Samoan heritage, and particularly his relationship with his late grandfather – a story of a Christian from one generation passing on a spiritual legacy to the next generation through family life, living by faith the refrain “ask God to be present in everything you do.” Through his family Tagovailoa gained his faith and became the person he is leading an NCAA championship team.
This Super Bowl know that faith and families are more important than football, but football is being used by God as a forum for a display of how He transforms individuals and families for generations.
Reading this post makes me extremely happy to know that God has a place in these athletes lives. But I think back to when Tim Tebow showed his faith in God and people gave him backlash over it. People were saying the nastiest things about him and praising God too much. I wonder if the acceptance of athletes showing their faith means there is a change in how the world is thinking about religion or if the fans of the teams who are winning are just willing to accept whatever as long as their team is winning.
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