The NFL went through a time when it seemed social justice overshadowed the game, and then, of course, there's the fact that Taylor Swift became the central focus of the sport, which was also annoying. Football became tied to something else, but as of late, all of that seems to be fading into background noise and now Christ seems to be taking center stage. 

That is, thanks in part, to players like Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud, who's expressed his faith in the past and continues to do so. 

After the Texans beat the L.A. Chargers, 32 to 12, CBS reporter Evan Washburn interviewed Stroud and asked him about the slow start the Texans had early in the game, calling it a "much different feel" from the latter half, which saw the Texans absolutely dominating. 

"What changed late in the first half that opened it up, and did what it did offensively?" asked Washburn. 

Stroud's answer wasn't the one Washburn was looking for, as Stroud immediately began giving thanks to Christ and confessing that he doesn't feel worthy of what he's been given. 

"First and foremost, all glory has to go to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ," said Stroud. "I feel so unqualified, but the Lord has qualified me to play in this great city, this great state. I'm just so grateful for who I serve." 

Stroud then got to answering Washburn's question, saying, "It's not about how you start, it's about how you finish," and praising his entire team's performance, including special teams, who scored their own touchdown that game after blocking a field goal kick. 

CJ Stroud continues to make the case for him being my favorite QB in the NFL.

He gives all glory to God and feels unworthy of the gift. pic.twitter.com/ZhKdNInnPe

— Brandon Morse (@TheBrandonMorse) January 12, 2025

Stroud is hardly the first person to bring Christ to the center stage. Harrison Butker, the Kansas City Chief's most infamous player, is only infamous because of his openly expressed faith and belief in traditional marriage and family. This upset more than a few radical feminists and Swift fans.

Then, of course, there was the San Francisco 49ers QB Brock Purdy, who speaks openly of his faith and how he asks the Holy Spirit to lead him, not to victory, but peace and steadfastness in all the chaos.

“So when I’m down 17 at half, honestly, I’m just thinking, ‘All right God, You’ve taken me here, and win or lose, I’m going to glorify You.’ That’s my peace, that’s the joy, that’s the steadfastness — that’s where I get it from," said Purdy in an interview. "And that’s the honest truth. So I leaned into that and sure enough, we were able to come back.”

It's not just in the NFL, either. Recently, in the NCAA, QB Will Howard of the Ohio State Buckeyes also responded to a reporter's question by first giving glory to Jesus Christ before answering the actual question. 

This display of faith is probably not sitting well with some of the penny pinchers in various parts of the NFL, as they likely consider Jesus to be something that will drive people away or turn them off. Of course, these are the same people who are more than happy to feature Taylor Swift every five seconds and thought Black Lives Matter needed to be painted on every available space on the field, so it's not too concerning what they think. 

Unlike these temporary attractions that will give weight to ad revenue, Christ goes far deeper in terms of affecting lives, so much so that players are more than happy to speak His name during interviews without provocation. For all the damage the NFL did to the social fabric of society during the 2020 election, the players' acknowledgments of Christ are a breath of fresh air and a welcome change to the sport.