THIS IS THE SPORTS SPECTRUM PODCAST WITH MATT FORTE & JASON ROMANO, FEATURING EMEKA EGBUKA
Emeka Egbuka is a senior wide receiver with Ohio State University. A five-star recruit, Egbuka was the 2019 Washington Gatorade Player of the Year. In 2022 as a sophomore, he brought in 74 receptions for 1,151 yards and 10 touchdowns. He battled injuries and played in only 10 games in 2023, compiling 41 catches for 515 yards and four TDs.
Today on the podcast, we talk to Emeka Egbuka about his journey with Jesus, being bold in his faith, finding peace in Christ, overcoming loneliness, and the revival happening in the Ohio State locker room.
Falcons players and their spouses — including Bradley Pinion (left) and Kaden Elliss (right) — walk through the Dominican Republic. (Photo courtesy of Compassion)
Many professional athletes are involved in some capacity with Compassion International and have served with the nonprofit in foreign countries. But until the Atlanta Falcons took a large contingent to the Dominican Republic in March, no professional sports organization had traveled as a group in partnership with Compassion.
Falcons president Greg Beadles, head coach Raheem Morris, seven players, plus staff and spouses went on the trip with Compassion, which partners with local churches to help release children from poverty. The group spent four days in the country meeting with church partners, participating in organized activities with the children, like a baseball game and football drills, and visited the homes of mothers and children facing struggles.
“One of my biggest takeaways from the trip was just the guys that went on it and seeing their hearts for Christ and seeing them outside of the football building and in a situation that can sometimes be a little uncomfortable, because of the level of poverty that you’re seeing,” Falcons punter Bradley Pinion, who spearheaded the trip with his wife Kaeleigh, told Sports Spectrum. “But then, seeing how my teammates just opened up and the joy that came on their face, and just seeing them serve and serving alongside them to the neediest of families in the Dominican Republic, it’s just something that I’ll never forget.”
The @AtlantaFalcons are making a difference beyond the football field! They recently visited the DR to see firsthand how Compassion is helping children escape poverty.
"The lives of these kids are being changed, and we've been changed too," said Bradley Pinion, punter for the… pic.twitter.com/0M2KMrZamx
— Compassion International (@compassion) April 7, 2025
Pinion has been serving with Compassion for many years. In 2023, he and Kaeleigh traveled to Tanzania to visit survival centers they helped fund, which provide critical prenatal care and access to food, clean water and medicine to mothers and babies.
This experience led to him launching “Punts for Purpose” later that year, for which he partnered with other punters around the NFL to donate $1,000 to Compassion for every punt that landed inside the 20-yard line, in support of 500 child survival centers.
When envisioning this trip to the Dominican Republic, he felt compelled to invite his teammates and other members of the organization to experience what Compassion is doing. However, he told Sports Spectrum, he was admittedly a little nervous to ask Beadles about the team partnering with Compassion, but he’s ultimately glad he did.
“It was just incredible to see, honestly, God in all of it and how it, from one simple [act of] stepping out in faith and being undaunted, led to me seeing teammates in a different light, and seeing different people within our organization in a different light, and our head coach in a different light, and our president in a different light,” Pinion said. “God has used that to draw people not only closer to Him, but also draw them to Compassion’s mission and the work that Compassion does.”
“We’ve never done anything like this before and I’m so grateful we had this opportunity,” Beadles said in a team press release. “We are a values-driven organization both on and off the field, and we’ve always wanted to be a positive, impactful force for good in communities.”
Morris echoed a similar sentiment.
“It’s what we preach every day,” he said. “When you get a chance to go live it, it means everything.”
Compassion President and CEO Jimmy Mellado commended the Falcons for their willingness to serve as a team. He said the Falcons organization is “dedicated to excellence and sportsmanship on the field,” but it went a step further because these efforts off the field were “lifesaving.”
“You can tell when a team has a culture: when they’re unified, when they’re powerful,” Mellado said in a video recap. “There are some teams that have the best athletes in the world, but they don’t ever reach their potential. But when you put ability plus culture plus that glue that puts you together, now that team is unstoppable.”
According to Compassion, 49% of households in the Dominican Republic live on less than $3.40 a day. Children in these communities are often exposed to “serious consequences of poverty,” including crime and gang violence, drug activity, human trafficking and other forms of exploitation.
Through its partnership with 234 church partners in the Dominican Republic, Compassion serves more than 62,000 children in its fight against poverty and its side effects.
“It’s what we are passionate about,” Pinion told Compassion. “We just want to bring other people along because we see the impact Compassion’s having. We want other people to see it, support it and give that same fire that we have.”
Patrick Taylor Jr. in 2024. (AP Photo/Ben VanHouten)
THIS IS THE GET IN THE GAME PODCAST
WITH SCOTT LINEBRINK
Patrick Taylor Jr. is a running back with the San Francisco 49ers going into his fifth NFL season.
Patrick joins the show today to share his faith journey, the importance of surrendering to God, and how his faith helps him navigate the uncertainties of a professional football career. He shares his experiences of identity beyond being a football player, the role of prayer in his life, and his commitment to serving the community through youth camps.
Clint Hurdle in July 2023. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
THIS IS THE SPORTS SPECTRUM PODCAST WITH MATT FORTE & JASON ROMANO, FEATURING CLINT HURDLE
Clint Hurdle is a former MLB player and manager. He was selected in the first round of the 1975 MLB Draft out of high school by Kansas City. He made his MLB debut in 1977 and played with the Royals, Cincinnati Reds, New York Mets and St. Louis Cardinals until his retirement after the 1987 season. He was a member of the 1980 AL-champion Royals team that lost to the Philadelphia Phillies in the World Series.
Clint is one of the few in baseball who have both played and managed in the World Series. He was the Colorado Rockies manager from 2002-09 and the Pittsburgh Pirates manager from 2011-19. He led Colorado to the 2007 World Series and led Pittsburgh to three straight playoff berths in 2013, 2014 and 2015. Sporting News named him the NL Manager of the Year in 2013. He is currently a special assistant in the Rockies front office.
Clint’s new book, “Hurdle-isms: Wit and Wisdom from a Lifetime in Baseball,” came out in February.
Today on the podcast, Clint Hurdle shares his transformative journey from a troubled past to a life of faith and leadership. He discusses the importance of surrender, the challenges of leadership in baseball, and how adversity has shaped his character. Hurdle emphasizes the value of lifelong learning and ultimately highlighting the grace of God in his life.
Matt Forte (left) and Dawson Knox (right). (Photo by Sports Spectrum)
THIS IS THE SPORTS SPECTRUM PODCAST WITH MATT FORTE & JASON ROMANO, FEATURING DAWSON KNOX
Dawson Knox is a tight end with the Buffalo Bills. He was selected in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft by Buffalo after a college career at Ole Miss. He enjoyed his best season in 2021, catching a career-high nine touchdowns and 49 passes for 587 yards. For his efforts, he was selected to the 2022 Pro Bowl.
Today on the podcast, we talk to Dawson Knox about Bills Mafia, standing firm in God’s grace, finding his identity in Jesus, and grieving the loss of his brother.
