Faith and football — with themes of adversity, dedication and striving to improve — have always seemed tied together. Players and pastors frequently use themes of war to describe the physical and spiritual battles they encounter on the field and against sin. The National Football League (NFL) and faiths such as Christianity [=Evangelicalism] and Catholicism share Sunday as their marquee day.
“There is a sense that ‘We have to fight,’ and football provides the best metaphor in all of sports for that,” said Seth Dowland, an American religious history professor at Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Washington. “There’s something about the adversarial nature of the game that appeals to Evangelicals who have for decades, if not centuries, felt this sense of being in a war, whether it’s a spiritual war against Satan or a cultural war against forces of secularism.”
Added George McGovern, a team chaplain for the Giants: “It’s a contact sport and because of the emotions that come with the violent nature of the game, it just tends to get guys more spiritually involved. It seems to pull at the core of a guy more than other sports.”
During the long, physically and emotionally draining hours of the NFL week, players say Bible studies and chapel services provide order and help clear their minds. Players often draw a powerful sense of comfort and strength from leaning on their religion as game day approaches.
“The Bible tells us that Jesus is peace,” said Okung, the cornerstone of the Seahawks’ offensive line. “It’s peace of mind. It’s a soundness of mind. When you have those things, that’s a power from God. We can rely on that and know that we have peace of mind in situations, regardless of whatever circumstances we may be in.”
Several of the Seahawks have used the run-up to 2014’s Super Bowl to spread their thoughts on religion. “We understand the attention that football brings,” Chris Maragos said. “This is a big deal. But to us, there’s more to it than that. It’s not just about football. Jesus is bigger than that.”