Titans QB Ryan Tannehill in November 2019 game. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski)
The Tennessee Titans brought back a key piece of their run to last season’s AFC championship game on Sunday, agreeing to a four-year, $118 million contract with free agent quarterback Ryan Tannehill. Traded to the Titans last offseason, he began the year as the backup and did not make his first start until Week 7, but led Tennessee to a 7-3 record over the next 10 weeks.
“I just tried to honor God through all of it and be the best I could be with the position He put me in,” Tannehill said on the Sports Spectrum Podcast last month. “Throughout the offseason and to start the season, that was being the backup, so I tried to take advantage of each day, getting better at football and building relationships with the guys and just being ready.”
The 31-year-old threw for 2,598 yards and 22 touchdowns in the 10 games he started during the regular season. In winning seven games after Tannehill took over, Tennessee finished 9-7 and clinched a playoff spot for the second time in three years.
“I tried to stay true to Him through the process, really lean into Him through all of that, through the tough times and stay positive and then go glorify Him once I got called on to play,” Tannehill said.
While things were going well on the football field, Tannehill’s father-in-law unexpectedly passed away the week after he made his first start of the season. He threw three touchdown passes and zero interceptions in a win over Tampa Bay just days later.
Tannehill led the Titans to upset wins over the New England Patriots and Baltimore Ravens to set up a meeting with the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC title game. Tennessee got out to an early 17-7 lead, but ultimately lost 35-24.
Through it all, Tannehill drew strength from Christ during an eventful 2019.
“Through that process, [I] just really had to trust in God that the path He had set before me is the perfect one for me and my family at that point,” he said. “Just fully trusting in Him, that He’s in control. I don’t understand why or what my purpose is in this, but He has a plan. He’s in control and He’s written it.”
Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak (left) and head coach Mike Macdonald. (AP Photos)
Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald thanked Sports Spectrum for asking him about his faith, and offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak called it his favorite question of the evening Monday at Super Bowl LX Opening Night in San Jose.
With the big game drawing near and the buzz of football fanaticism approaching a crescendo, Macdonald and Kubiak dissected everything curious journalists could think to ask about their team’s matchup with the AFC’s New England Patriots on Sunday at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. Macdonald was busy navigating questions about reaching the Super Bowl in his second season, while Kubiak had to manage questions about his reported ties to the Las Vegas Raiders’ head coaching vacancy.
So, when they were given the opportunity to talk about the One who supersedes it all, Macdonald and Kubiak were eager to do so — relieved even.
“Your identity is not in your job; our identity is in Christ,” Kubiak said told Sports Spectrum. “When I learned that, and I spent more time in the Word from all the mentors I had in coaching that helped me get into Bible studies and read the Word every day, it took a really heavy load off just knowing that I’m a child of God.”
With dozens of reporters crowding his podium, Macdonald also revealed that he finds his rest in God.
“My faith has really grown over the last couple years. That’s what I lean on. That’s where your strength comes from,” the 38-year-old head coach said. “Recently I have so much gratitude, and then ultimately strength, that you feel like God has put you in a position to lead these people.
“[Faith is] your guiding light every day, so it’s something that I can hopefully continue to grow, and hopefully our players continue to seek it out — seek their faith and grow in their faith. It’s really special, and we got a lot of guys that are examples for me, too.”
Kubiak, who is 38 years old as well, provided one of the most galvanizing moments for the Seahawks during their impressive 14-3 regular season that ended with a No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs. For a Christmas gift to the team, he bought Bibles for every Seattle player and coach.
“That’s the most important thing,” he told Sports Spectrum when asked why he made the gesture. “… You’re trying to find Christmas gifts for guys every year to show them that you love them, and what better gift than that?”
Seattle assistant head coach Leslie Frazier said he was inspired by Kubiak’s generosity.
“You talking about touching people across our team? That is so unique and so rare,” the 66-year-old veteran NFL coach told Sports Spectrum. “It meant a lot. It meant a lot to everybody in our building, just that he would do that. His whole point of it was he wanted everybody to be able to find out what it means to have a relationship with Jesus Christ. This is the starting point, having a Bible. No one should walk away from this building without having a Bible.”
The former Minnesota Vikings head coach said he became a follower of Christ while in college, and he’s noticed that a common faith in Jesus has helped to bond this year’s Seahawks.
“Our chaplain, Jonathan Rainey, has done a terrific job of bringing our coaches together along with our players,” Frazier said. “With our Bible studies with our players, with our Bible studies with our coaches, and then we have chapel also. For us, that’s a special time because we don’t get a chance to go to church on Sunday. We’re playing, so you miss that.
“But that connection piece? That to me is what makes our team so special. There’s a bond there that goes beyond just being teammates, because there’s a love for one another that’s based on our faith. We have a ton of guys and coaches that love the Lord, and so you’re pulling for your brothers all the time … because they love each other.”
Frazier continued later: “You need other people to hold you accountable. You need someone to disciple you to help you grow in your faith, because life can be challenging, and you need to know where you turn when things get difficult. For me, that’s been Jesus Christ.”
With a unique bond centered on faith, the Seahawks are preparing for this year’s Super Bowl rematch to favor them this time (in February 2015, New England overcame a 10-point, fourth-quarter deficit to defeat Seattle, 28-24, in Super Bowl XLIX). Three of the past four Super Bowls have been decided by just three points, so if history holds, Sunday’s matchup could be another instant classic.
Kickoff between the Seahawks and Patriots is set for 6:30 p.m. ET.
THIS IS THE SPORTS SPECTRUM PODCAST WITH JASON ROMANO, FEATURING JAMES MITCHELL
James Mitchell is the team chaplain and director of player development with the New England Patriots. Previously, he was with the Tennessee Titans as their team chaplain.
James joins the show to share about what this 2025-26 season has been like, coming to New England from Tennessee along with head coach Mike Vrabel, the Bible studies and chapel services he’s led, and what it means to see players be outspoken about their faith.
(Photo courtesy of Jonathan Rainey/Seattle Seahawks)
THIS IS THE SPORTS SPECTRUM PODCAST WITH JASON ROMANO, FEATURING JONATHAN RAINEY
Jonathan Rainey is the team chaplain of the 2025-26 NFC-champion Seattle Seahawks.
Jonathan joins the show to share about what this season has been like within the team, the Bible studies and chapel services he’s led, and what it means to see players be outspoken about their faith.
Jonathan Rainey @bigplayrainey is the Seahawks team chaplain. He talked about faith in the locker room and chapel services throughout the year for the NFC champs. pic.twitter.com/Zl3hYvtyE2
Luke Altmyer at the 2026 Senior Bowl. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)
THIS IS SPORTS SPECTRUM’S WHAT’S UP PODCAST
WITH ANNABELLE HASSELBECK
On today’s episode of Sports Spectrum’s “What’s Up” podcast, we have Luke Altmyer!
Luke sits down with us at the 2026 Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama, to reflect on what the Lord has taught him through his college football journey as he prepares for the NFL Draft!
