Benjamin Watson says NFL athletes now ‘freer’ to speak about faith
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According to Benjamin Watson, the era of keeping faith on the sidelines is over, replaced by a new cultural environment in which athletes act on their beliefs and it is “freer” to speak openly.
“There was this idea that certain things were off-limits because they might be controversial and people might think differently,” Watson told Fox News Digital. “So I think you’re seeing young people in general talking about beliefs and passions, especially as it relates to faith, more than ever before.”
Watson, a 16-year NFL veteran and Super Bowl champion, currently serves as editor-in-chief. He hosts Sports Spectrum and the podcast “The Fair Life with Benjamin Watson.”
Watson is an outspoken Christian and pro-life advocate who also serves as vice president of strategic affairs. Human Coalition.
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Atlanta Falcons players pray after an NFL preseason football game was postponed after Detroit Lions safety Morice Norris was injured Friday, Aug. 8, 2025, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
“We are in partnership Compassion International And Adoption is an Option. “They are partnering with us this week on the Super Bowl as we bring awareness to the work of Compassion International and Adoption is an Option, and we are grateful that these two organizations have seen fit to partner with us as we seek to inspire sports fans to become followers of Jesus,” he shared on behalf of Sports Spectrum.
Watson believes players are becoming more comfortable sharing their beliefs.
“We’re seeing more and more players saying that,” he said. Watson believes this started a “forest fire” among players, which encouraged more players around the league to share their beliefs. “They set everyone on fire, and that’s why people feel comfortable doing it.”
He added that the new generation of coaches also understand and embrace players who talk about their beliefs on and off the field.
On: Sports SpectrumWatson said research shows athletes are encouraged to talk about their passions.
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Christian Wilkins #94 of the Miami Dolphins and Ben Watson #84 of the New England Patriots pray after a game at Gillette Stadium on December 29, 2019 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Billie Weiss/Getty Images)
Among religious and non-religious adults in America who watch sports at least a few times a month, 74% support athletes using their platforms to support nonprofit causes that are important to them, according to a study by communications firm Pinkston, which surveyed 1,540 adults on a wide range of topics.
Additionally, 78% of respondents said an athlete’s personal character influences how they are perceived. 56% expressed support for athletes who share their beliefs.
Watson said NFL players have an ally in sharing their beliefs.
“I love hearing men speak boldly about their faith,” he told Fox News Digital. “I love when guys talk bravely about their failures. You know, these guys are 25, 26, 30-year-old players who are going through the process of maturing not only physically and emotionally, but also spiritually.”
Watson said “My Cause My Cleats” was launched during his last five years in the NFL, where players were able to support causes (some of which were faith-based) that were important to them.
He shared an example of this: “Hunter Henry is a tight end for the New England Patriots. And he got his cleats painted with Compassion International, an organization that helps lift children out of poverty.”
Watson said it “humanizes the players” and “underscores the fact that guys in the NFL continue to do good wherever they go.”
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NFL players openly display their beliefs on the field (Justin K. Aller/Wesley Hitt//Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
“It is imperative that we support sports ministries and use every means to spread the Gospel,” said Watson, emphasizing that God can use sports as a way.
“There are generations of kids, adults, and grandparents who can truly hear and hear the gospel only from the mouth of an athlete,” he continued. “Because they won’t go to church.”
While Watson acknowledged that God uses the church to reach people, he said God can reach all of us in many ways.
“God can use anything,” he said. “He can use pastors speaking in churches on Sundays – yes, he does it all the time. My dad is a pastor and I learned a lot from him. But he can also use athletes maybe in a different way than someone preaching. Everybody has a role. So the scriptures talk about that a lot. It doesn’t matter who planted the seed, who watered it, God brings it to the harvest.”
Watson shared that his heroes in the NFL include men speaking about their faith, citing Aeneas Williams, Kurt Warner, Reggie White and Darrell Green.
Eagles wide receiver AJ Brown has also been outspoken about his faith. Here’s what he said while he was with the Tennessee Titans in 2020: from tennessee“First of all, I’m a Christian… When I go out on the field, I want to say thank you for the blessing I’ve been given, for everything, because I don’t have to do this. I have to do this. That’s why I always wear the cross.”
Texas quarterback CJ Stroud previously told Fox News Digital that it’s great to have a large community of Christian athletes in the NFL.
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“So I think we have a really good community of a lot of people who believe in the league and the sports world,” Watson told Fox News Digital. “The more we can do with our platform, the better we can make this world, and hopefully, we can really help people if they’re looking for help finding Jesus and truly understanding that God loves you no matter what. That’s the light that I feel like we’re really trying to shine.”
