“Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.” — 1 Peter 5: 6-7
Humble Hearts
On Aug. 15, the IndyStar published a piece by columnist Gregg Doyel telling the story of University of Indianapolis wide receiver Ryan Topper. In January, Topper was driving behind his friend, Brock Meister, when Meister’s car hit a patch of ice and spun off the road. Topper held Meister’s head until an ambulance got there, which saved his life. While Meister was recovering in the hospital, Topper made the five-hour round trip visit every week. Until Brock’s mom wrote to him, Topper’s coach had no clue. Topper hadn’t said a word about anything that had happened.
Talk about humility.
Part of growing in our relationship with Christ is understanding how badly we need Him. We are broken and flawed people who don’t have everything figured out. Our confidence should come from Christ and Christ alone, not any success we’ve had or anything we’ve done. Through the good times and the bad, it’s crucial for us to always remember how great and powerful God is. We are just His vessels.
When we embrace God’s agenda instead of our own, we can have a sense of peace knowing it’s all in His hands. Casting our fears and anxiety means we give them to God and then let go. As much as we might want to have control of our lives sometimes, so many things are out of our hands. Remembering God is in control allows us to serve with humility and gratefulness.
— Joshua Doering
If you would like to submit a reader devotional, please email all submissions to jason@sportsspectrum.com.
Tony Dungy in September 2025. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
THIS IS THE SPORTS SPECTRUM PODCAST WITH MATT FORTE, FEATURING TONY DUNGY
Tony Dungy is a former NFL player and coach who currently is an NFL analyst with NBC Sports. During his playing career, he was a part of the 1978 Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl-winning team. As a coach, he led the Indianapolis Colts to a Super Bowl championship in 2006, becoming the first Black head coach to ever win a Super Bowl.
Today on the podcast, Tony Dungy joins Matt Forte to discuss coaching in the playoffs, memories from winning a Super Bowl 19 years ago, and the importance of speaking up against religious persecution.
In Kansas City this morning and I walked to the church we attended when we lived here in 1990. I was listening to the @GFCFlorida service and the message was on “Waiting”. It was so powerful-I thought of so many blessings I’ve received in the 2nd half of my life. Pastor Daryl… pic.twitter.com/dqEqToTDXG
Athletes know they need to train hard, put in the work, and go above and beyond in order to reach their goal. Each player knows it takes commitment and trust to be able to get to the next level. There’s an achievement they all want to reach, but great athletes know it takes going through the process in order to get to the promise.
I think about Mary’s journey and the process she had to go through in order to fulfill the promise. From when she found out that she was going to be carrying the Son of God, to the fear of what people would say, the rejection, the pain and uncertainty of what the future would hold. Could she be strong enough? Would she be equipped to raise the Savior of the world?
In sports and in life, there are many circumstances and trials we will face. An athlete may get hurt and have to go through a season of rehab, enduring pain and fear of the future, but it’s all part of the process to get to the promise. One may get cut from the team and start to question their purpose, but it’s all part of the process to the promise.
Critics will deny your gifting and abilities, but it’s all part of the process to the promise. In life, you may go through seasons of financial disarray, grief or testing, but it’s all part of the process to the promise. God’s not punishing you through the process; He’s building your faith to trust in Him more.
The process makes us stronger, the process builds character, the process breaks chains. Going through the process leads us to the promise. So whatever your process looks like, or wherever you are in your process, remember that our greatest promise already came as a Baby in a manger, wrapped in swaddling clothes. Make room for Him in your life today and you will receive the best promise of all — God Himself!
Los Angeles Rams running back Kyren Williams, Jan. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Rusty Jones)
For Kyren Williams, the path to becoming a centerpiece of the Los Angeles Rams’ deep playoff run hasn’t been loud or flashy. Instead, it’s been steady and consistent — much like the running back himself.
That consistency has shown up in the numbers. After being named a starter in 2023 — a year in which he was selected to the Pro Bowl — he has rushed for more than 1,100 yards and 10 touchdowns each of the past three seasons. He finished the 2025 regular season with a career-high 1,533 yards from scrimmage, including 1,252 rushing yards that ranked sixth in the NFL.
He’s scored three total touchdowns across two playoff games, helping the Rams reach Sunday’s NFC Championship Game against the top-seeded Seattle Seahawks. A win would bring the Rams back to the Super Bowl for the first time since 2021-22.
Williams finished the 2024 season with a career-high 1,299 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns, and the Rams rewarded him with a three-year contract extension. But the numbers and new contract only tell part of the story. He was voted by his teammates to be a captain this season, which was particularly meaningful to him after not being selected as one last year.
“[Being named a captain] made more of an impact on my heart than probably the contract because to me that is the direct representation of who I am as a person every single day in the eyes of my teammates,” Williams told the Rams’ team website in September.
Kyren Williams joined HOF Eric Dickerson, HOF Marshall Faulk and Steven Jackson as the only Rams players with 1,000+ rush yards in 3+ consecutive seasons 🔥@RamsNFL | #RamsHousepic.twitter.com/80rvBnkYwv
Led by his faith in God, he prioritizes hard work on and off the field, which doesn’t go unnoticed by his teammates and coaches.
“I think he’s been consistent,” Rams head coach Sean McVay said during a team press conference in September. “I think that’s a good thing, and I think he’s earned that respect. When you’re leading — and we’ve got so many capable leaders on our team — the first thing is it resonates if it’s authentic. And then, do you model the way?
“I think seen is better than said. He’s got this authentic energy that’s always been consistent with who he is. It uplifts everybody. He’s got a mental and a physical toughness that he plays with. He epitomizes what we’re looking for in Rams.”
Williams’ new contract has also brought him a sense of peace and purpose off the field. The financial security has given him the ability to care for his family in tangible ways, such as taking care of his parents, helping his sisters with monthly bills, and setting up college savings plans for his nieces and nephews.
“I just want to be able to continue to play football at a very high clip, continue to keep showing the world who I am and what I can do, and take care of my family,” Williams said in September. “And give the most praise to the Lord that I can and follow His mission every single day.”
Dating back to his time in college at Notre Dame, being active in the community has been a priority for Williams. Now in Los Angeles, that commitment has only grown. Following the widespread wildfires in January 2025, Williams visited LAFD Air Operations to honor first responders and partnered with the Rams and Seahawks to distribute new Nike shoes to youth who lost their homes in the Eaton Fire. He also visited youth from the Palisades at their local recreation center, helping lead their first football activity since the fires.
Throughout the 2025 season, Williams has spent time each week on his off day in the community — participating in literacy sessions at schools, military recognition events, holiday distributions, STEAM education initiatives and more. When he learned Big Brothers Big Sisters needed more male mentors of color, Williams stepped in personally, becoming a “Big Brother” himself. He also returned as a host for Rams Night for Wishes to support the Make-A-Wish Foundation and participated in a youth football clinic during team OTAs in Maui.
For his efforts, he was selected in both 2024 and 2025 as the Rams’ nominee for the Walter Payton Man of the Year — the league’s most prestigious honor that recognizes players for excellence and a commitment to making a positive impact on and off the field.
“I play football because that’s what the Lord has blessed me to do, and that’s what I’m going to continue to do,” he said after being told he was the team’s nominee. “But my message and my purpose is bigger than just football. It’s being able to impact and inspire and be around young kids and families. To be able to motivate and show them that it’s all possible.”
That comes with a monetary reward, and Williams donated his entire 2024 Man of the Year nomination money to the LAFD Foundation.
“Being able to make a positive impact on the youth across Los Angeles and seeing the smiles on people’s faces means everything to me,” Williams told the team website. “This award is special because my commitment to the community is never about recognition but about being the inspiration to show young people they can dream big and achieve their goals.
“The opportunities I’ve been given through being a professional football player allow me to perform on the field but have also given me the platform to pursue what I am most passionate about — giving back to the community. It’s an honor to be the Rams’ club winner for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award alongside players around the league dedicated to their communities.”
His faith foundation was laid long ago, and it was a big reason he wanted to play at Notre Dame, telling The Athletic in 2018, “I’m real close with God and I believe in God heavily.”
He also professes it publicly on social media, with his Instagram bio referencing Proverbs 3:5, saying, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart.”
In 2018, his mother, Taryn Williams, spoke about the balance her son carried between hard work and trust in God’s plan.
“We’re a faith-based family and believe that God has a plan prepared for him,” she told Irish Sports Daily. “He’s just putting in the work to execute it.”
The Rams and Seahawks kick off at 6:30 p.m. ET in Seattle on Fox, with the winner clinching a spot in Super Bowl LX.
Matt Hasselbeck in Super Bowl XL in February 2006. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
THIS IS THE GET IN THE GAME PODCAST
WITH SCOTT LINEBRINK
Our guest today is Matt Hasselbeck, the former Pro Bowl quarterback who played 18 seasons with the Green Bay Packers, Seattle Seahawks, Tennessee Titans and Indianapolis Colts.
Matt joins Scott Linebrink on the podcast to talk about the current landscape of the NFL playoffs, what it means to follow Jesus and serve others, and his thoughts on the Seattle Seahawks being one game away from the Super Bowl.
