17 NFL Players Who LOVE Jesus (and Football)

christian football players in the nfl
Left: All-Pro Reels, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Center: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Right: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

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Christian McCaffrey

Panthers at Redskins 10/14/18. Keith Allison from Hanover, MD, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Running back Christian McCaffrey—fresh off a challenging 2024 season hampered by injury—is making a strong comeback with the San Francisco 49ers in 2025. Despite rumors of repeating his dual-1,000-yard season in rushing and receiving, McCaffrey says the motivation behind his game remains unchanged: “It’s playing for more than just football.” While he doesn’t believe God is waiting on the sidelines just to see him score, he still strives every week to perform at his “absolute best” in the face of adversity.

Little known facts about Christian McCaffrey:

  • McCaffrey once said that worship music is part of his pre-game routine, and he listens to Hillsong United before every kickoff.

  • His family has deep Christian roots — his grandfather was a college coach who opened team meetings with prayer.

  • He founded the 22 and You Foundation to help veterans and first responders — inspired by John 15:13 (“Greater love has no one than this…”).

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Stephanie Martin
Stephanie Martin, a freelance writer and editor in Denver, has spent her entire 30-year journalism career in Christian publishing. She loves the Word and words, is a binge reader and grammar nut, and is fanatic (as her family can attest) about Jeopardy! and pro football.

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