Okay. So the Super Bowl is set. We now know the Kansas City Chiefs are going back to the biggest game of the season against the Philadelphia Eagles!
Three of the four quarterbacks who played yesterday are very open about their faith in Jesus. Can you name them? Before you answer, let me bring up another Super Bowl winning quarterback: "Broadway Joe" Namath.
Of any QB in our modern era, Namath personified the word brash. Other words and terms for brash include self assertive, full of self, cocky, arrogant, audacious — well, you get the picture. Oh…and you can throw in irreverent.
Namath’s nickname, “Broadway Joe,” came about after he appeared on the Sports Illustrated cover in 1965. That followed a photoshoot on Broadway. The cover photo proclaimed, “Football Goes Show Biz.”
Over 50 years ago, “Braggadocio Joe” made the absurd prediction that his upstart New York Jets would beat the NFL’s best, the Baltimore Colts, in Super Bowl 3. Which is exactly what happened. The legend was sealed.
Frankly, I’ve never cared for Joe Namath. But that’s me. Football heroes develop their own fan clubs.
I’m much more intrigued and supportive of the three quarterbacks from this past weekend who have boldly stood by their Christian faith convictions. That includes Patrick Mahomes, Jalen Hurts, and Brock Purdy.
During his college days at Texas Tech, Patrick Mahomes' mother said during an interview: “In middle school, he got real involved with his youth group, He got saved. There was a night at church, he had his hands raised to the Lord and he was singing…I knew where his heart truly is.”
Mahomes shares his faith with Twitter followers. He’s encouraged prayer for teammates. When former Chiefs QB Alex Smith suffered a season-ending injury, Patrick asked fans to pray for him in a special way.
Jalen Hurts plays QB for the Philadelphia Eagles. After first playing at Alabama, he then transferred to Oklahoma. He told CBS Sports: “… something that I've just matured in and realized, that God is everything and He's worthy of praise, You have to put Him in the center of everything that you do…And I know God has been there the whole entire way.” Humble, in a world of glory seekers.
And then there’s the newby: Brock Purdy. Since he became a starter later in the season for the San Francisco 49ers, he went 7-0. Not bad for a player who barely—barely—was drafted last spring. A final draft choice known as Mr. Irrelevant.
Purdy exhibited remarkable poise. His coach, Kyle Shanahan, said Brock is "definitely the most poised rookie I've ever had.” Purdy himself said he plays with a sense of “fearlessness,” claiming his Christian faith gives him peace and confidence in the battle.
Purdy’s Twitter and Instagram state, ”Believer in Christ." A certain Bible verse graces his Twitter bio — Colossians 3:23 — “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men.”
Brock Purdy was interviewed on Sports Spectrum last August. It was then he announced he wanted to "be able to witness and defend the Christian faith as best as I can,” adding, "My identity is in Jesus.” I hope Brock is around a long time.
So what about quarterback #4—Joe Burrow? After winning the national championship at LSU, he’s already developed a swagger. And garnered a nickname: Joe Cool.
After winning the national title, the lsusports.net webpage quoted Burrow as saying: “I kept faith in myself the entire time…I knew the kind of person I was, the kind of player I could be, and I kept faith.”
An LSU site writer said, “Belief – in the hard work he put in and the football gods guiding his path – brought Burrow here.“
Faith in himself. Help from the football gods. Perhaps hanging out a bit with Mahomes, Hurts, and Purdy can keep Joe Burrow from building himself a legacy of brash. Like that Namath guy.
Hope so. Joe’s a great quarterback… with talent on loan from God.
That’s Forward Thinking.
You can find a number of YouTube episodes and podcasts of Mark’s program, Moving People Forward at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCosyuBzdSh1mXIas_kGY2Aw?
For more information on the Elfstrand Group, please visit www.elfstrandgroup.com
Articles of interest:
2. https://www.christianheadlines.com/contributors/michael-foust/qb-brock-purdy-guides-49ers-to-nfc-championship-my-identity-is-in-jesus.html?utm_source=ChristianHeadlines Daily&utm_campaign=Christian Headlines Daily - ChristianHeadlines.com&utm_medium=email&utm_content=7637353&recip=530696604&aps=3573af02591190322d3d755259709c4e164f76edbce4ddda8e23716394da9d8f&lctg=53069660
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