Faith and football are no longer an unlikely pair. For many NFL players, belief in Jesus is an anchor that affects how they live and lead. Ahead of the 2025 season, a fresh class of rookies is arriving with more than athletic skill. They’re also bringing to the gridiron their strong Christian faith and determination to glorify God.
Here are some new-to-the-NFL players who are also outspoken Christians. Keep an eye on them as the season gets underway.
6 New NFL Players Who Are Christians
1. Shedeur Sanders (Cleveland Browns)
High-profile rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders bursts onto the pro scene with flash and faith. In the 2025 NFL draft, the University of Colorado standout—and son of football legend Deion Sanders—unexpectedly fell to the fifth round. And despite an impressive preseason debut, the quarterback remains fourth on the Browns’ depth chart.
But the young Sanders is maintaining his trademark composure, as well as gratitude for the opportunity to play. On social media, the QB regularly posts, “Thank you GOD,” as he continues his father’s legacy of faith and football.
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2. Malaki Starks (Baltimore Ravens)
Safety Malaki Starks, a first-round pick in the 2025 draft, won a college championship with Georgia in 2022. But the athlete has also faced challenges, including a period of homelessness as a child. Starks credits his mother with instilling Christian faith in him. He recalled her saying that God had given him a gift and “it would be a shame and a sin not to use it and not to give back.”
Despite being an NFL rookie, Starks already has a track record of philanthropy. As part of the 2024 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team, the athlete offered free football camps for youth.
3. Ahmed Hassanein (Detroit Lions)
Ahmed Hassanein became a Christian in college, while playing at Boise State. After his team lost in the 2025 Fiesta Bowl, the defensive lineman thanked coach Spencer Danielson for telling him about Jesus, saying, “You changed my life.”
Although Hassanein spent most of his life in Egypt and didn’t start playing football until 2019, he’s now a pro with Detroit. In addition to his newfound faith, the pass rusher is also known for his genuine, loyal, and grateful nature.
4. TreVeyon Henderson (New England Patriots)
At Ohio State, running back TreVeyon Henderson made explosive plays. But he also gained a reputation for boldly telling others about Jesus. Before his final college season, Henderson helped lead an on-campus worship event, during which 50 people were baptized.
Henderson, a second-round pick by the Patriots, praised God for giving him college teammates who follow Jesus. “We’re always encouraging each other and uplifting each other with the Word of God,” he said last year.
5. Gee Scott Jr. (New England Patriots)
Rookie wide receiver Gee Scott Jr. is an undrafted free agent out of Ohio State. While there, he and teammate TreVeyon Henderson were part of a faith movement on campus. Now the two Patriots rookies are partnering to proclaim the gospel in New England.
With the zeal of a preacher, Scott shares his testimony and reminds people to trust in God’s perfect timing. Scott, who lists Romans 8:28 in his Instagram bio, said on the Sports Spectrum podcast, “I have a faith that all of these things that I’m going through are working together to refine me and make me a better version of myself,” he said.
6. Ashton Jeanty (Las Vegas Raiders)
Ashton Jeanty, the runner-up for the 2025 Heisman Trophy, rushed for 2,601 yards last season for Boise State. But he has described himself as “a Christian cleverly disguised as an All-American running back.” The soft-spoken Jeanty, chosen sixth overall by the Raiders, knows that his true identity is in Christ.
When reporters in Las Vegas asked Jeanty about his faith, he said, “That’s what I’ve been rooted in. That’s what helped me get to where I’m at in this point. I’m just thankful for that relationship with the Man upstairs, because it’s given me so many opportunities.”
