Faith on Display: Athletes Boldly Proclaim Jesus Across Sports

by Dorian B. Francis

WASHINGTON / April 18, 2026 / BPALiveWire - I have been noticing more and more over the past year and a half or so athletes of all ages sharing their faith or giving glory to Jesus. Not just God, Jesus. That is a big thing. A lot of people give glory to God after winning something, usually an award. Or they will thank God. But when somebody speaks the name of Jesus, that is a whole different story. And we have heard of Tim Tebow’s with John 3:16 and Steph Curry’s with Philippians 4:13. But it is everyone now, from the household names to athletes who feel a lot closer to the rest of us.

Take the Ohio State football team's "Buckeye Revival." Ohio State is obviously a college football powerhouse. Back in 2024 and 2025, players such as running back TreVeyon Henderson, wide receiver Emeka Egbuka and tight end Gee Scott Jr. started showing up in "JESUS WON" T-shirts before games and led an on-campus revival the year they won the national championship. They prayed together on the field, led altar calls after practice and baptized teammates and fans in campus pools. One night in August 2024, hundreds of students showed up just to hear Scott read the Prodigal Son story. They have kept that faith in the pros, proclaiming Jesus in their interviews and on social media as well as advocating for faith-based causes and speaking out about persecution against Christians.

That is the part people miss. These are not distant celebrities. Henderson, Egbuka and Scott were just college students juggling classes, NIL deals and the same identity questions the rest of us face in our 20s. When they say their worth is not tied to stats or draft position but to who Jesus is, it lands with the regular, everyday kids who may see these guys as superhumans.

You look to somebody recently, like Jaden Ivey. If you have not heard already, Jaden Ivey is a former NBA player who recently got released from the Chicago Bulls for comments deemed “anti-LGBTQ” by the NBA. Even though he lost his job, which is something the Bible says will happen when you follow Jesus (2 Timothy 3:12) you can still look at his postgame interviews and his social media and see a man who is not ashamed of the name of Jesus. That is very inspiring and something that can, and already has, stirred up other Christians nationwide to take up their cross and not shrink when things get tough.

Tarris Reed and Hannah Hidalgo are two other major college figures who have consistently given glory to Jesus. Reed was a standout at UConn men’s basketball and Hannah Hidalgo is one of the best women’s college basketball players in the nation. You can find videos of them giving their testimonies, sharing what Christ has done in their lives, etc.

Even going back to the pros, you have franchise faces like Houston Texans quarterback CJ Stroud and New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye as well as lesser-known players like Atlanta Falcons running back Nathan Carter either giving sermons or pointing to Jesus as the head of everything.

It is everywhere. From superstars to college kids to lesser-known pros, Jesus’ name is being made known at all levels of sports and in all sports. It is a blessing to live through a time like this and get to watch and experience athletes that you admire and even some of whom are around your age making Jesus known. It gives me hope and it should give you hope as well.