The Cincinnati Bengals and Los Angeles Rams will face off in Tremendous Bowl LVI on Sunday. The sport, scheduled to start at 6:30 PM EST, will happen at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. The Bengals are the champions of the American Soccer Convention with a document of 10-7 and the Rams are the champions of the Nationwide Soccer Convention with a document of 12-5.
Most of the gamers on these groups are open Christians.
Listed here are 8 Christian athletes on the 2022 Tremendous Bowl groups:
1. Evan McPherson
A rookie for the Bengals, McPherson rapidly turned a family identify. In his first season as knowledgeable soccer participant, McPherson broke data by turning into the primary placekicker within the NFL to make 12 postseason subject objectives and not using a single miss. He’s additionally the primary rookie to make 12 postseason subject objectives.
After making a 52-yard subject aim for a game-winning subject aim towards the Tennessee Titans in late January, McPherson was seen carrying a black T-shirt that learn “God is nice.” He later took to Instagram to echo the sentiment with a photograph of himself pointing on a soccer subject: “God is nice! Psalm 34:8.” Psalm 34:8 says, “Style and see that the Lord is nice, blessed is he who takes refuge in Him.”
After the staff took residence the AFC championship, he took to Instagram once more and wrote, “To God be the glory! John 3:16.”
McPherson additionally shared his religion on-line after being named the AFC Particular Groups Participant of the Month for December and being drafted by the Bengals within the 2021 NFL Draft.
Following his draft choice, McPherson took to Twitter and wrote, “For him, by means of him, due to him! 'Submit your work to the Lord and your plans will probably be established.' Proverbs 16:3 ||. I’m wanting ahead to the following chapter of my life!
McPherson, who was a fifth-round draft pick of the College of Florida, attended First Baptist Church in Fort Payne, Alabama rising up, based on the Baptist Press.
2. Akeem Davis-Gaither
In 2021, Bengals linebacker Akeem Davis-Gaither determined to provide his life to Christ and get baptized. Davis-Gaither, a 2020 fourth-round draft choose, was baptized by former NFL participant and South Carolina Transformation Church pastor Derwin Grey. After the baptism, Davis-Gaither determined to share the monumental second on social media.
“After 23 years, I’m so proud to have given my life to Christ and obtained the reward of recent life,” Gaither-Davis captioned an image posted on Instagram of him being baptized. “God has finished wonderful issues in my life, lifted me from my lows and humbled me to my highs. At each step of my life God has blessed me in some ways. I’m blessed to share his love and let my life be a sworn statement of his steadfast like to all of us,” he added.
The Tremendous Bowl-bound athlete additionally quoted Galatians 2:20, which says, “I’m crucified with Christ: but I reside, but not I, however Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now reside within the flesh, I reside based on the religion of the Son of God, who liked me and gave himself for me.”
3. Trey Hendrickson
Defensive finish Trey Hendricks was a third-round choose of the New Orleans Saints in 2017. He later turned a free agent after which signed a four-year, $60 million free agent contract with the Bengals in March 2021.
In latest media interviews main as much as the massive sport, Hendrick's put God entrance and heart. “My Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is extra than simply soccer to me,” Hendrickson said, based on Sports activities Spectrum. “It's an software, and what I've learn by means of my religion and my spouse and our meditations and issues like that’s that it's fairly just like the sport of soccer. And its software to the sport of soccer could be very easy.
“So it's a kind of issues that no matter I do on the sector is to glorify Him by means of Him for Him to His glory. So it's a kind of issues that my life is a sacrifice and the times after soccer would be the similar as the times of taking part in soccer, ” he continued. “I attempt to encourage folks in any means they will to open their Bibles, [with] Instagram, issues like that, simply search for the verse and continue to grow in religion as a result of that's the place it begins,” he added.
Hendricks typically shares Bible verses along with his greater than 71,000 Instagram followers. The truth is, his Instagram bio contains Galatians 6:9, which says, “Allow us to not develop weary in doing good, for in due time we are going to reap a harvest if we don’t hand over.”
4. Michael Thomas
Defensive again Michael Thomas was unsigned in the beginning of the 2021–2022 NFL season, however was referred to as up by the Bengals 4 weeks into the season and positioned on the staff's follow squad on October 5. A bit of greater than a month later, Thomas was promoted to the energetic roster, and because the Bengals made the playoffs, he discovered himself on the sector in all three of the staff's postseason video games. Now, Thomas is able to take the sector on Tremendous Bowl Sunday.
“God's plans are means larger than ours, man. … I wasn't signed wherever, however I wasn't confused,” Thomas advised Sports activities Spectrum throughout a latest interview on their podcast. “I knew God had a plan for me it doesn’t matter what it was, however I used to be very content material and able to transition if I wanted to.”
All through the staff's season, Thomas continually thanked God for the chance to proceed taking part in soccer. He additionally publicly praised the Lord with every win.
“I keep in mind praying for one more likelihood to get right here… 9 years later… THOSE WHO WAIT,” Thomas captioned a sequence of Tremendous Bowl XLVII snaps posted on Instagram Tuesday.
Picture Courtesy: ©Getty Photos/Andy Lyons/Workers
5. Cooper's coup
As Christian Headlines reported in late January, Cooper Kupp and his spouse Anna have lengthy been open about their Christian religion. After the Rams gained the NFC Championship sport in late January, Anna shared a heartwarming video of herself working into Kupp's arms to have fun. Anna, who describes herself as “The King's Little one” in her Instagram bio, captioned the video: “This second. These moments!!! Thank God for every of them. We’ve got been praying for a season of celebrating our Savior Jesus Christ and you’re doing simply that my expensive Cooper Kupp SURREAL!!”
The Kupps, who met in highschool and had been married in faculty, personal a faith-based clothes line collectively. A number of items comprise an abridged model of 1 Corinthians 9:25. The items of clothes learn “Do that to get a crown that lasts ceaselessly”. First Corinthians 9:25 says in full, “Everybody who competes within the video games goes by means of rigorous coaching. They do it to get a crown that won’t final, however we do it to get a crown that can final ceaselessly.”
1 Corinthians 9:24-27 can be featured in Kupp's Instagram bio.
6. Jalen Ramsey
Jalen Ramsey, drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2016, joined the Rams throughout the 2019 season. Ramsey, a defensive finish, is predicted to start out towards Bengals huge receiver Ja'Marr Chase on Sunday. Throughout interviews this week, Ramsey opened up in regards to the significance of his religion in his private {and professional} life.
“I’m truthfully nothing with out my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,” Ramsey said, according to Sports Spectrum. “With out His grace and His mercy and dying for my sins, I’m nothing. I’m sinful by nature and I’m not excellent, and that’s the reason I would like the Lord a lot,” he added.
“I all the time need to lean on my religion and I’ve to provide God the glory and let God actually work by means of me and work by means of my coronary heart and attempt to develop. That's how I actually attempt to develop and attempt to evolve.” as an individual,” he added.
As beforehand reported by Christian Headlines, Ramsey describes himself as “a baby of God by means of my religion in Christ.” Twitter bio. A pinned tweet on his Twitter account additionally reads, “Can't inform me we're not CHOSEN! God is the GREATEST! Thanks Jesus!”
The 2-time Professional Bowler can be identified for drawing massive, eye-colored black crosses below his eyes throughout video games and sporting crossed thigh pads.
7. Odell Beckham Jr.
Former New York Big huge receiver Odell Beckham Jr. joined the Rams in November 2021. Beckham first publicly shared his religion when he was baptized within the Jordan River in Israel in 2018. On the time, the then-Big shared a sequence of images of himself being baptized with the caption, “FRESH START…What a time! #Jerusalem #ImForgiven.”
In a follow-up submit sharing extra of his journey to Israel, he wrote: “I couldn't have requested for something extra!!!! God, I can't thanks sufficient for this. My journey is simply starting.”…
Since then, Beckham has commonly publicly praised the Lord.
On Jan. 22, at some point earlier than the Rams face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers within the playoffs, Beckham shared a sequence of snaps of him from all through the 2021-2022 soccer season with the caption, “The street gained't all the time be simple… I inform you if [you] keep down, humble your self and keep trustworthy… you’ll all the time be on high with God in your facet.” He continued, “I simply needed to thank him for each blessing I’ve obtained and each blessing that can come sooner or later. LORD KNOWS it wasn't simple.”
A couple of days later, on Jan. 26, he shared extra images from the season, writing, “This was all a part of God's plan… hold believing!”
8. Johnny Hekker
Johnny Hekker signed with the Rams in 2012 after going undrafted and is taken into account one of many high punters within the league. Hekker is the longest tenured participant on the Rams and is the staff captain. He’s a four-time Professional Bowler and was named first staff All-Professional in 2013, 2015, 2016 and 2017.
Hekker has lengthy been open about his Christian religion. Simply earlier than the Rams confronted the New England Patriots in Tremendous Bowl LIII in 2019, Hekker spoke with the spiritual information company Sports activities Spectrum. When requested how his religion has grown over the 12 months, Hekker advised the Journal, “The depth of information you get if you actually open the Phrase and skim it, and simply the expertise you get the extra you sit down and actually follow. that [is amazing]“I pray at evening with my spouse. [Makayla]and now now we have a son so seeing the fatherly love you get when you might have your personal youngsters is unimaginable. I may simply sit there and stare at all of it day, and that's how the Creator God sees us, so it's a really transferring perspective.”
Additionally that 12 months, Hekker provided his yard as a baptismal pool for teammate Rodger Saffold, who needed to dedicate his life to Christ.
On January 30 this 12 months, after successful the NFC Championship sport and the Rams advancing to the Tremendous Bowl, Hekker praised the Lord once more, writing on Twitter“God is on the throne. Thanks for His love and blessings which have include this season. #SuperBowl right here we come!!!!”
Notice: That is No a complete record of Christian athletes taking part in in Tremendous Bowl LVI.
Associated:
'I'm nothing with out my Lord and Savior': Rams defensive again Jalen Ramsey speaks on his religion forward of Tremendous Bowl LVI
'We prayed for a season to have fun our Savior Jesus Christ': Cooper Kupp's spouse thanks God as Rams head to Tremendous Bowl LVI
“To God Be the Glory,” Cincinnati's Evan McPherson sends the Bengals to the Tremendous Bowl
Bengals Kicker Evan McPherson praises God after making the game-winning kick towards the Titans
H/T: ChurchLeaders.com
Picture Courtesy: ©Getty Photos/Christian Petersen/Workers
Kayla Koslosky is the previous editor of ChristianHeadlines.com. She has a BA in English and historical past and beforehand wrote for and was editor-in-chief of the journal Yellow jacket information. He has too contributed to IBelieve.com and Crosswalk.com.