(The Lion) — A growing number of NFL stars say their passion for football takes a back seat to their devotion to Jesus – and they’re determined to use their platform to tell others.

Some are star quarterbacks, while others are hard-hitting defenders who deliver bone-crushing tackles. Yet all of them are just as likely to talk about their faith in a post-game press conference as they are about football.

Here are seven Christian NFL players who put Jesus first in their lives.

C.J. Stroud (Quarterback, Houston Texans) – Stroud rose to prominence during his first season in the NFL, capturing 2023 AP offensive Rookie of the Year honors as he passed for 4,108 yards and 23 touchdowns while throwing only 5 interceptions. Although his sophomore season was not as productive, he still managed to guide the Texans to the playoffs for a second straight year.

He also is one of the league’s most outspoken Christians, often beginning each post-game news conference by stating, “I just want to thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

“My identity isn’t just ‘quarterback,’ it isn’t just ‘Houston Texans,’ it isn’t just football,” he told the Sports Spectrum Podcast. “First of all, I’m rooted in Christ and who He thinks I am. Second of all, in who my family thinks I am.

“… My identity is through Christ, so [how] can I serve every day to be more like Him and to help one of those around me?”

Brock Purdy (Quarterback, San Francisco 49ers) – Purdy was the final pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, earning the customary nickname “Mr. Irrelevant.” But he proved his worth his rookie season when he led the 49ers to the NFC Championship Game – and then to the Super Bowl in his second season. He finished fourth in MVP voting in 2023 and made the Pro Bowl.

His X bio reads, “Believer in Christ.”

“I honestly think this is a testament to God and where He’s taking me in life. I’ve never been the biggest, the fastest, the strongest or any of that,” Purdy said in January 2024 after his team advanced to the Super Bowl. “I feel like I’ve always sort of had to fight for what I get and work for what I get. But God’s always given me an opportunity, whether that was in high school, college, and then obviously in the NFL.

“Getting drafted last – people you know, overlook you and all that kind of stuff. And then all you need is an opportunity. … I put my faith and trust in Him and He’s gotten me where I’m at.”

Kirk Cousins (Quarterback, Atlanta Falcons) – A four-time Pro Bowl selection, Cousins started his career in Washington before being picked up by Minnesota in 2018 and then signing with Atlanta in 2024. A 14-year veteran, he ranks 21st all-time in career passing yards (42,979) and is known as a fearless passer.

He entered 2025 battling with teammate Michael Penix Jr. – a fellow Christian – for the starting job.

In 2023, he told the Sports Spectrum Podcast he wants to “impact people for eternity” and “share the Gospel.” He listens to worship music during pregame warmups and is one of the league’s most intense players.

“You certainly honor your teammates, you honor your coaches, and you honor your opponent by giving everything you have to the competitive arena,” he said. “So for me, I think when you bring that intensity and the fire, I think it is a great witness. And I think it shows just how invested you are, and that you want to do your absolute best. Colossians 3:23 – ‘Whatever you do, do with all your heart’ – and I’d like to think when I go out there, I’m giving all of my heart.”

Justin Fields (Quarterback, New York Jets) – Fields was drafted by the Chicago Bears in 2021 but struggled to find the same success he saw in college at Ohio State University, where he was a two-time Heisman finalist with a 20-2 record. The New York Jets signed Fields during the offseason to a two-year contract and named him their starting quarterback.

The Bible, he said this summer, has given him peace he hadn’t experienced before.

“Me really getting closer to God – like I said, my relationship [and] me reading the Bible every day,” he said, when asked what changed his perspective on life. “And if I’m being real, there’s some great lines, some great wisdom that I didn’t even know of. So I’m low-key addicted to getting in my Bible each and every day, just because I learn something new every day, and I’m able to apply it in my everyday life. I was sleeping on reading the Bible earlier in my life, and I wish I would have started earlier.”

He also urged members of the media to read the Word of God.

“I encourage y’all to go read a little bit starting [in] Proverbs, and move on from there.”

Harrison Butker (Placekicker, Kansas City Chiefs) – A three-time Super Bowl champion, Butker has made a mark as one of the league’s top clutch kickers, including the game-winner in Super Bowl LVII against Philadelphia.

He also is one of the NFL’s most outspoken Christians.

“There might be things I have fears about. I might feel pressure, but I know I’m a child of God and He’s going to protect me,” he told Sports Spectrum. “That protection comes with some suffering, but I know that’s what’s best for me and I’ve got to accept that suffering and grow as best as I can with that.”

The Chiefs, he said in January, have developed into a team of faith, with multiple players and coaches professing Christ.

“I think we just have a very Christian team,” he said before adding, “The more Jesus the better.”

Christian Benford (CB, Buffalo Bills) – Benford started all 15 games in 2024, helping lead the Bills to the AFC East Division title and the conference championship game. He ranked sixth on the team in tackles.

Benford is in his fourth year in the NFL and said faith is a priority for the 2025 season.

“Making sure I’m spreading Jesus’ light through me into others,” he told media members this year. “… That’s really what my main focus is – prioritizing being a man of God, challenging myself, to step out of my comfort zone.”

Another goal is to be a better teammate and lend a listening ear when a friend needs to talk.

“Some people just need somebody to listen to them rather than just give them advice,” he said. “I wasn’t really expecting it. I was just doing it because that’s my journey as a man of God: to continue my way of Christ and love one another as Jesus loved us.”

Demario Davis (LB, New Orleans Saints) – Davis is a two-time Pro Bowl selection and one of the NFL’s top defenders, leading the league in solo tackles in 2017 and landing on the AP’s All-Pro First Team in 2019.

He is in his 15th year in the NFL and shows little sign of slowing down, starting in 16 games in 2024 and leading the team in tackles. During post-game interviews, he often cites Scripture.

“Why am I still playing? It’s because God is not done with what He’s doing with me in the game yet,” he told Fox Sports in 2024. “I’ll play as long as He tells me to keep going, because it’s Him that’s extending my platform because He knows what I’m gonna do with it. He knows every time I get in a seat like this, I’m gonna give glory to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I’m gonna say it’s because of Him that I’m here.”