4. Payton Thorne (TBD)
Another Christian NFL player waived last week is quarterback Payton Thorne. He went undrafted in spring 2025 and was competing for a roster spot with the Bengals. Jeff Thorne, the QB’s dad, is fighting stage 4 stomach cancer. In July, 24-year-old Payton shared that the cancer had progressed and spread, making it inoperable.
Despite that difficult news, the Thorne family is clinging to faith in Jesus. “One thing is for certain: Christ will be glorified in this,” Payton Thorne wrote. “There is a peace knowing we serve a God who has already defeated death. That’s not just some positivity talk, that’s truth.” Jeff Thorne, meanwhile, ends his social media updates with the words, “God is GOOD!”
While playing college football at Auburn, Thorne said, “I’m working for the Lord and doing everything I can to glorify him. I pray that I can maximize the gifts that he gave me and use them to the best of my ability and that he can use me to reach other people.”
