Stories of transformation from the lives of pro athletes
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Success had always come pretty naturally to Jordan Richards — until it didn’t. He was a freshman at Stanford and felt like a failure. But some football teammates invited him to a players-led Bible study, after which they suggested he meet with a mentor of theirs. After weeks of meeting one-on-one, the mentor asked, “Jordan, do you want to know Jesus personally?” Jordan decided he did, and soon discovered the freeing feeling of walking through failure and fear with Jesus by his side.
Watch the video above to hear Jordan Richards tell his “I Once Was” story.
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We’re all in the middle of a story, and whether we admit it or not, we want our stories to matter. It’s those stories of deep and lasting impact that come to life when a person encounters Jesus, and responds to Him by faith. “I Once Was” invites professional athletes to share their own transformational stories, describing the very moment that changed their lives forever.
New England Patriots tight end Hunter Henry, Jan. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Greg M. Cooper)
SAN FRANCISCO — Not only is this Hunter Henry’s first trip to the Super Bowl after 10 years in the NFL, it comes after arguably his best season in the NFL.
The veteran tight end finished the regular season as the New England Patriots’ second-leading receiver with a career-best 768 yards. Those came on 60 receptions, tied for the second most in his career. He’s added six catches for 81 yards and a touchdown in three playoff games.
Henry will certainly be a key target for QB Drake Maye on Sunday as the Patriots take on the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl LX. Largely thanks to Henry, the New England offense racked up the third-most yards in the NFL (379.4 per game) and the second-most points (28.8) in the regular season.
But his play on the field isn’t where Henry makes the most impact. He’s long been a supporter of numerous organizations and charities, and was recognized for his work by the Patriots making him their nominee for this year’s Walter Payton Man of the Year Award.
One such nonprofit near and dear to Henry is Compassion International, a Christian child development organization working to release children from poverty in Jesus’ name.
“We’ve given and supported them for a long time,” Hunter said this week when asked by Sports Spectrum why Compassion is important to him. “It’s a tremendous organization that does a lot of cool things across the globe.
“Honestly, we got even more involved once I had my two kids. Just seeing the poverty and there’s so many kids around the globe that struggle, and the work that they do to get these kids out of poverty and really help these kids across the globe is just life-changing. Then the mission behind it and the heart behind it is really why we love the organization.”
"The work that they do to get these kids out of poverty and really help these kids across the globe is just life changing." – Hunter Henry, Patriots TE
We are so excited to partner with @compassion for our Super Bowl LX coverage in San Francisco.
Henry was introduced to Compassion at a young age, as his family — led by his dad, Mark, who was a pastor in Little Rock, Arkansas — worked with the organization. The Henry family sponsored a young girl in Guatemala, and took a trip when Hunter was in high school to meet her. Hunter called it “life-changing.”
“It puts everything in perspective, how cushy our life can be, how easy things can be here,” Henry told the Patriots team website in 2024, when he wore custom Compassion cleats for a game as part of the NFL’s My Cause My Cleats initiative.
Once he graduated from the University of Arkansas and entered the NFL as a second-round draft pick by the San Diego Chargers in 2016, he began supporting Compassion on his own. And as he’s gotten married and started a family, he’s gotten his wife, Parker, and their two children, Ace and Rivi, involved as well.
“They’re my fruit, basically. I have to pour into them, I have to give to them, and I have to be the example my dad was for me,” Henry said about his kids. “I want to give my kids that but I want to give other kids that too.”
Henry’s heart to serve and support others stems from his strong faith in Christ. He’s long been outspoken about his faith, and has continued to proclaim his faith this week at the Super Bowl.
“My faith in Jesus has meant everything to me,” he told Sports Spectrum. “It’s really my foundation, it’s my rock that keeps me steady. Football and life are kind of a roller coaster, and there’s a lot of ups and downs. Honestly, my faith in Jesus keeps me very solid, keeps me steady, something I can always rely on. It’s just a solid foundation for me through everything.”
Henry and the Patriots face the Seahawks at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, on Sunday at 6:30 p.m. ET.
New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye talks to the media, Feb. 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
With kickoff of Super Bowl LX between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots just days away, and the 2025-26 NFL MVP award set to be handed out Thursday night, one could be excused for thinking Patriots star quarterback and MVP candidate Drake Maye has winning these two football prizes at the top of his list of goals for the week.
But, as the second-year QB explained to a throng of reporters at Wednesday’s Super Bowl media availability, that person would be wrong.
“Knowing that [God’s Word is] bigger than football has been such a thing for me to lean on and take my thoughts away from football and know that this is my purpose and this is why I’m here on this stage today,” he told Sports Spectrum. “Being able to shine a light on others and get them to follow Jesus Christ is what I’m here for and what God put me here to do.”
The 23-year-old Huntersville, North Carolina, native revealed that chapel before games, led by Patriots chaplain James Mitchell, has led to growth in his faith and the faith of many of his teammates.
“One of the best things about a football team is that there’s other brothers on the team that are followers of Christ,” Maye said. “Being able to share thoughts and sit down in chapel and listen to our chaplain, Mitch, talk before a game, it’s just so powerful. And realizing the night before a game that we’re in here spreading the Word and listening to the Word.”
"Being able to shine light on others and get them to follow Jesus Christ is what I'm here for."
We talked to New England Patriots QB Drake Maye at Super Bowl LX media availability pic.twitter.com/ZIHaoigIHe
At Monday’s media availability, Maye also mentioned his faith.
“Faith, family, and football. That’s me to a T. I think in that order,” he said. “Just putting my faith first, knowing that’s my purpose.”
He later expanded on Who he has faith in.
“I’m a follower of Jesus Christ,” he declared. “It’s the biggest thing in my life. And keeping that at No. 1, and knowing that that is what’s gotten me here and what helps me get here. I can shine light on others, hopefully leading them to a relationship with Him or doing whatever I can to help lead them to Jesus Christ, knowing how their life can change and what it can do for them.”
When asked about his favorite Bible verse, he paused, deliberating. Then he quoted Proverbs 16:9.
“‘The heart of a man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.’ What a verse that is,” Maye said. “… You can have all these plans in life — ‘I want to do this, I want to do this’ — but it’s really the Lord’s doing the work.”
The former North Carolina Tar Heel has been more outspoken about his faith in 2025-26, even as he’s launched himself into the conversation about the best players in the NFL. After a difficult rookie season in which New England finished 4-13, Maye completed 72.0% of his passes for 4,394 yards, 31 touchdowns and eight interceptions this season on the way to a 14-3 regular-season record. He has also proven to be a threat on the ground, rushing for more than 400 yards each of his two pro seasons.
However, his rushing totals have only increased in the Patriots’ three playoff wins with 141 yards, including a crucial 3rd-and-6 scramble to seal the win against the Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship Game.
Now in the Super Bowl, Maye is trying to not let the pressure affect him. He, rookie TreVeyon Henderson, kicker Andy Borregales and other Patriots players were even spotted in the famous California-based fast-food chain, In-N-Out Burger, this week. In the video, Maye is sporting a sweatshirt that reads “Be a Blessing” with an image that combines a cross and a Bible.
Gotta be hilarious being in line to get In-N-Out and an MVP candidate that’s starting in the Super Bowl in a few days just strolls by. pic.twitter.com/EAfeyVN680
By this time next week, Maye could be a Super Bowl champion and an NFL MVP. They are both dreams he has pursued since childhood. But ultimately, he knows his love for football is a gift from God, given to point others to Jesus.
“I think the biggest thing is using my platform to spread the Word and spread the Good News,” Maye said during an appearance on Boston radio station WEEI in December. “That’s one of the biggest things that I’ve tried to work on in my career is using my platform to inspire young kids or inspire even older people that may not be into their faith as much. Just to know that it’s out there for everybody.
“One of the biggest things in my life that I’ve learned is that there’s purpose and there’s passion. My passion is football and my purpose is [being] a believer and being strong in my faith.”
The Patriots and Seahawks are set to take the field for Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, on Sunday at 6:30 p.m. ET.
Seattle Seahawks linebacker Drake Thomas celebrates after intercepting a pass, Jan. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Jeff Lewis)
Drake Thomas never expected to be here.
Three years ago, he entered the NFL as an undrafted linebacker out of North Carolina State, focused on earning a roster spot and extending his career one day at a time. Now, he’s a starting linebacker for the Seattle Seahawks, preparing to play in the Super Bowl.
“It’s wild,” he told Sports Spectrum at Super Bowl LX Opening Night in San Jose. “You would never in a million years think you’d be in this position, so it’s a huge blessing and a huge honor.”
After not starting each of his first two years, Thomas started 14 games this season and both of Seattle’s playoff games, becoming a consistent presence on a defense that’s helped propel the Seahawks back to the Super Bowl for the first time since Super Bowl XLIX against the New England Patriots — their opponent again this year in Super Bowl LX.
The Seattle D ranked sixth in fewest yards allowed (285.6 per game) for the regular season, and No. 1 in fewest points allowed (17.2 per game).
The challenge awaiting Thomas and Seattle’s defense is a Patriots offense led by quarterback Drake Maye, a potential NFL MVP, who has guided one of the league’s most productive offenses. New England finished the regular season as the second-highest scoring team in the NFL (28.8 per game), and third in total yards (379.4). Maye’s ability to extend plays and attack downfield has been central to the Patriots’ postseason run, putting added pressure on a Seahawks defense that will be tasked with slowing him down.
But Thomas enters the game with a lot of confidence. He recorded 96 total tackles (second on the team), 3.5 sacks, one interception and one fumble recovery in the regular season, and he’s added 12 total tackles in the playoffs.
His rise hasn’t followed a typical path, but it’s been shaped by steady growth on and off the field. As he’s grown as a player, he’s also become more rooted in his faith, and he proclaims it publicly with “Follower of Jesus Christ” in his Instagram bio.
“Jesus is everything to me,” he told Sports Spectrum. “Without Jesus, I’m not here. He’s the unshakeable foundation that I lean on in all situations.”
That foundation developed over time, particularly during moments of uncertainty early in his career. It’s also come from “learning you can’t do it by yourself,” Thomas said.
“Times feeling hopeless and searching for something that gives you hope,” he said. “I think those are the main things. Having something that you can really lean on and count on in those times. Jesus is that and more.”
Those lessons have been especially important in a league defined by evaluation and turnover. He understands how easily a player’s sense of worth and identity can become tied to performance, health or opportunity.
“This is such a performance-based industry, so it’s easy to fall into thinking that you’re only worth however you’re performing on the field,” he said. “Christ releases you of that. When you identify in Christ, you know you’re much more than whatever your film says on the field.”
Thomas has also seen that faith expressed throughout Seattle’s locker room. Over his three seasons with the Seahawks, he’s noticed consistent growth in the team’s chapel services.
“It’s been awesome,” he said. “I’ve seen the numbers in chapel grow over the past three years. It’s been really encouraging, and I’m hopeful even more people start showing up.”
Thomas and the Seahawks are set to face the Patriots at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, on Sunday at 6:30 p.m. ET.
Seahawks defensive lineman Mike Morris (left) and offensive lineman Jalen Sundell. (AP Photos)
SAN FRANCISCO — The last time Seattle Seahawks center Jalen Sundell was in the Bay Area, he was quite nervous the night before his game. It had nothing to do with the actual game, but he was tasked with something he’d never done before — preach a sermon to his teammates.
As is common throughout the NFL, the Seahawks hold a chapel service the night before a game. They’re typically led by the team chaplain, who for Seattle is Jonathan Rainey. But Rainey does something unique, possibly the only chaplain in the NFL to do so: He assigns chaplain assistants. Every year, he chooses one from the offense and one from the defense.
This season, Sundell is the offensive assistant. His partner from the defense is defensive end Mike Morris. Rainey’s thinking is that if he’s ever unable to lead chapel, one of his assistants could take his place. But even if they’re never needed as a last-minute fill-in, they will be charged with leading at least one chapel at some point during the season.
Sundell’s time came the night before Seattle’s regular-season finale Jan. 3 against the 49ers at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California — the site of Sunday’s Super Bowl LX, in which the Seahawks will face the New England Patriots.
“I’d never actually given an actual sermon before,” Sundell told Sports Spectrum on Monday at Super Bowl LX Opening Night in San Jose. “I talked at FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) events and other things like that, but this was challenging. It was great at the same time; it was really sanctifying too. It’s hard to write a message, to do it faithfully. It also just makes you trust in the Lord, allowing Him to have whatever He has to say come through your mouth.”
Sundell’s topic? Money.
“The Lord has really blessed us all with money and, honestly, it can be weighty to know what God wants us to do with His money and how to steward His money. It’s weighty, and it’s a big task,” Sundell said.
Undrafted in 2024 after helping North Dakota State to three FCS national championships, Sundell first signed with the Cleveland Browns after the draft. But they had some concerns with his physical, so Seattle signed him before training camp. He ended up playing in 12 games in 2024, then earned the starting center job entering 2025. He missed four games this season due to a knee injury, but returned for Week 15 and resumed his starting position.
A leader on the field, the 26-year-old was “super honored” when Rainey asked him to be a chapel assistant, a role he had never heard of.
“I felt a weightiness to that calling, that that was part of my job to help point others to Christ,” he said.
Morris also called the special role an honor.
“What’s crazy is I actually prayed a prayer before the season and I was like, ‘Man, God I want to be a light in the locker room. I want to start speaking more. I want to be able to articulate more and grow closer to You,'” Morris told Sports Spectrum at Opening Night. “Pastor Rainey helped me with that with marriage counseling; I talk with him all the time about the questions that I have about the Bible because he can articulate it very well.
“It’s just helped me to grow as a man, grow as a person, and he made me a chapel assistant. I was like, ‘I don’t know if this is what I was talking about God,’ but I ran with it. Later in the season, I preached the chapel and man, it was just a blessing.”
The 24-year-old, who was a fifth-round pick by the Seahawks out of Michigan in 2023, gave a sermon about how God calls everyone to Himself, even those who don’t think they’re worthy. He used the example of Moses, who tried to deny God’s calling on his life, and Saul, who killed Christians.
“A lot of people in the locker room feel as though their lifestyle is too far from God, and that they could come to chapel and get the message, but [think,] ‘I’m going to go back and do my own thing because I feel so distant,'” Morris said. “… I just wanted to get the message across that there are so many broken people in the Bible and God has said so many beautiful things about them.”
Morris felt like the sermons from him and Sundell hit differently with their teammates because they all share similar goals and struggles. One reason Morris is strong in his faith, he believes, is because of the trials he’s endured, such as three hip surgeries and a shoulder surgery his rookie year. He said he was like many people who prayed to God primarily for their own benefit.
Yet, his trials “just helped me grow closer and have true reliance on God.”
Sundell came to rely on God through college teammates. Growing up, he had heard that he’d go to Heaven if he was a good person, but also had heard the Ten Commandments and knew he didn’t follow them. His “pesky” friends kept inviting him to Bible study, which he didn’t think was for him. But when COVID shut down sports in 2020, and took away the thing that made Sundell feel valued, he finally relented and went to Bible study.
“There was this disconnect of like, ‘How can I be a good person when this is what God’s telling you to do, and I know I can’t do that?’ Then we started reading, and the Bible told me that if I just place my faith in Christ that He would cover my sins, and that made way more sense than what I’ve been told,” Sundell told Sports Spectrum. “Without God’s intervention, I wouldn’t have been able to believe that, but thankfully the Lord saved me in that moment and used that logic to help get me there. So yeah, spectacular but but nothing dramatic. It was as simple as reading the Bible.”
Almost six years later, Sundell is that “pesky” teammate trying his best to get his new teammates to come to chapel.
Sundell, Morris and the Seahawks face the Patriots at 6:30 p.m. ET Sunday.
