Updated for the 2026 NFL season.
Christian football players compete at every level of the game, but some NFL athletes have chosen to speak publicly and specifically about following Jesus Christ. Their stories include championship success, injuries, position battles, unexpected trades, developing faith, baptism, and the challenge of keeping football from becoming their identity.
This list of 15 Christian football players to follow during the 2026 NFL season is based on public interviews, testimonies, ministry participation, baptisms, and other direct expressions of Christian belief. It is not a ranking of anyone’s faith, character, or football ability. It is a guide to players whose stories may encourage Christian athletes, families, coaches, and fans this season.
Several of these players appeared in All In Faith’s coverage of Christian players in Super Bowl LX. This article looks beyond one game to the larger 2026 season, including established stars and an unusually compelling group of rookies.
Roster and availability information reviewed September 13, 2026.
Quick Reference: Christian NFL Players to Follow in 2026
| Player | 2026 team | Position | Faith theme | Follow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TreVeyon Henderson | New England Patriots | Running back | Boldness and discipleship | |
| Jaxon Smith-Njigba | Seattle Seahawks | Wide receiver | Humility in success | |
| Fernando Mendoza | Las Vegas Raiders | Quarterback | Prayer and Catholic faith | Instagram · TikTok |
| Drake Maye | New England Patriots | Quarterback | Christian fellowship | |
| Caleb Downs | Dallas Cowboys | Safety | Public witness | |
| Brock Purdy | San Francisco 49ers | Quarterback | Identity in Christ | |
| C.J. Stroud | Houston Texans | Quarterback | Faith through pressure | |
| Will Anderson Jr. | Houston Texans | Defensive end | Seeking God’s approval | |
| Ashton Jeanty | Las Vegas Raiders | Running back | Transformation | |
| Jayden Daniels | Washington Commanders | Quarterback | Trusting God’s plan | |
| Baker Mayfield | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Quarterback | A developing testimony | |
| Saquon Barkley | Philadelphia Eagles | Running back | Growing in faith | |
| Ty Simpson | Los Angeles Rams | Quarterback | Patience and preparation | |
| Jordyn Tyson | New Orleans Saints | Wide receiver | Faith through injuries | |
| Kendrick Bourne | Arizona Cardinals | Wide receiver | Redemption and service |
1. TreVeyon Henderson — Running Back, New England Patriots
TreVeyon Henderson enters 2026 as one of the NFL’s most outspoken young Christian players. During Super Bowl LX week, he explained that money, accomplishments, and status cannot provide the fulfillment found in Jesus Christ. His testimony is especially notable because it is not limited to postgame gratitude. He has spoken about his need for Jesus, shared the Gospel publicly, and encouraged teammates in their faith.
2026 season update: Henderson was ruled out of New England’s season opener because of an ankle injury. His recovery is one of the early-season stories to follow. Reuters reported the Week 1 designation.
Henderson has also discussed helping fellow Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson grow spiritually. That gives young athletes a practical example of discipleship: Christian influence can happen through relationships inside a locker room, not only through microphones or social media.
Football fans should follow Henderson in 2026 because his role is expanding both athletically and spiritually. His message challenges athletes to ask whether success has become their source of identity. Read more about Henderson’s testimony and teammate relationships in this Sports Spectrum profile.
2. Jaxon Smith-Njigba — Wide Receiver, Seattle Seahawks
Jaxon Smith-Njigba begins the 2026 season as a Super Bowl champion and the reigning AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year. He led the league with 1,793 receiving yards in 2025 before Seattle defeated New England 29–13 in Super Bowl LX.
Success at that level can make humility difficult, which is exactly why Smith-Njigba’s perspective is worth following. During Super Bowl week, he said his faith comes first and described himself as a follower of Christ before identifying himself as a football player. He also spoke about serving the Lord and serving others in both low moments and periods of success.
His story provides a useful lesson for Christian athletes: faith should shape how a player handles recognition as well as adversity. Awards, contracts, and championships create new temptations toward pride, but they also create opportunities to redirect attention toward God and others. His 2025 award is documented by NFL.com, while Sports Spectrum covers his Christian testimony.
3. Fernando Mendoza — Quarterback, Las Vegas Raiders
Fernando Mendoza may be the most timely addition to this list. The Raiders selected the former Indiana quarterback first overall in the 2026 NFL Draft after he won the Heisman Trophy and led Indiana to a 16–0 season and its first national championship.
Mendoza has spoken openly about his Catholic faith, weekly Mass, confession, prayer, and the Christian community that helped form him at Indiana. He has said that God and Jesus Christ made him a football player to spread His Word. His pregame routine reportedly emphasizes prayer and quiet preparation rather than hype music.
Las Vegas also signed veteran Kirk Cousins, so Mendoza is not guaranteed to begin Week 1 as the starter. That makes his rookie season about more than being the No. 1 pick. It may require patience, humility, and learning while enormous expectations surround him. NFL.com confirms his selection, while this profile explores Mendoza’s Catholic faith.
4. Drake Maye — Quarterback, New England Patriots
Drake Maye helped lead New England to Super Bowl LX and enters 2026 as one of the NFL’s most important young quarterbacks. Even after the Patriots’ loss to Seattle, his season provided a national platform for him to speak about faith, family, football, and Christian community.
Maye has described himself as a follower of Jesus Christ and said that helping others move toward a relationship with Christ is part of his purpose. He has also discussed the importance of teammates gathering for chapel and learning from the Patriots’ chaplain.
That makes Maye particularly relevant for athletes who need Christian fellowship. Football culture often celebrates individual toughness, but spiritual growth usually requires other believers, honest conversations, teaching, and accountability. Maye’s 2026 season will also show how a young leader responds after reaching a Super Bowl but falling short of the championship. Read his Super Bowl-week comments in Sports Spectrum.
5. Caleb Downs — Safety, Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys selected Caleb Downs with the 11th pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Long before he entered the NFL, Downs used his platform at Ohio State to speak directly about Jesus Christ.
He participated in Ohio State’s campus faith gatherings, where players shared testimonies and students were baptized. Downs emphasized that no football achievement can compare with the Kingdom of God and encouraged people not to wait until they feel perfect before coming to Jesus.
His first NFL season places that public witness under a much larger spotlight. Dallas brings intense media attention, strong expectations, and one of football’s largest fan bases. Downs will be worth following not only because of his defensive talent, but because of how he handles that visibility. His draft selection is confirmed by NFL.com, and his faith story is detailed by Sports Spectrum.
6. Brock Purdy — Quarterback, San Francisco 49ers
Brock Purdy remains one of the most recognizable Christian quarterbacks in the NFL. He has repeatedly explained that football is something he does, but Jesus Christ defines who he is.
Purdy’s story resonates because his faith has remained part of his public message through dramatically different circumstances: being the final selection in the draft, becoming a starter, recovering from injury, reaching a Super Bowl, and dealing with a painful championship loss. He has spoken about holding football loosely and finding peace in glorifying God whether a game ends in victory or defeat.
That is an important distinction for young athletes. Identity in Christ does not remove disappointment or ambition. It prevents the scoreboard, depth chart, scholarship offer, or contract from becoming the final verdict on a person’s value. Purdy’s comments after Super Bowl LVIII remain one of the clearest examples of this perspective.
7. C.J. Stroud — Quarterback, Houston Texans
C.J. Stroud has been one of the NFL’s most visible Christian athletes since entering the league. He regularly thanks God, identifies himself as a follower of Christ, and speaks about football as a platform rather than the foundation of his identity.
Stroud has also acknowledged that publicly proclaiming Christ does not make him perfect. That honesty matters. Christian players should not present faith as evidence that they never struggle, fail, or need correction. Stroud’s message is that he believes in the perfect One while remaining a flawed person who is still growing.
The Texans’ expectations remain high in 2026, and quarterbacks receive disproportionate credit and blame. Follow Stroud to see how his Christian identity influences his response to scrutiny, leadership, and adversity. His comments about being rooted in Christ are explored in this Sports Spectrum profile.
8. Will Anderson Jr. — Defensive End, Houston Texans
Will Anderson Jr. gives Houston another influential Christian leader on the opposite side of the ball. He has spoken about resting in God’s approval instead of allowing outside opinions to control him.
That message is especially relevant for elite athletes. Praise and criticism can change from week to week, while social media makes both impossible to avoid. Seeking approval from coaches and teammates can be appropriate, but depending emotionally on universal approval creates an exhausting and impossible standard.
Anderson’s role as a defensive leader makes him worth following in 2026. Young football players can learn from the way he connects leadership with a more stable identity than rankings, contracts, sacks, or awards. His Christian perspective on approval and pressure is discussed in Sports Spectrum.
9. Ashton Jeanty — Running Back, Las Vegas Raiders
Ashton Jeanty has described himself as a Christian cleverly disguised as an All-American running back. Behind that memorable line is a serious testimony about depression, transformation, baptism, and learning that his identity is in Christ.
Jeanty has explained that moving away for college exposed the weakness of his spiritual foundation. As his relationship with God grew, he began to understand football ability as a gift rather than his identity. He was baptized while at Boise State and has continued speaking about Jesus publicly.
His 2026 season is important because development is rarely linear. Expectations follow highly drafted running backs immediately, and sharing a Raiders backfield and offense with new personnel creates uncertainty. Jeanty’s testimony reminds athletes that spiritual transformation is larger than a breakout season. Read more in Sports Spectrum’s profile.
10. Jayden Daniels — Quarterback, Washington Commanders
Jayden Daniels has spoken about trusting God’s plan through major transitions, including his move from Arizona State to LSU. He credits relationships at LSU with helping him return to and grow in his faith.
Daniels has said that Jesus died on the cross and that he wants to give glory to God. He has also discussed using his platform to spread the Gospel and encourage people toward a closer relationship with God.
His career provides a useful lesson about uncertainty. A transfer can feel like an ending, but it became a major turning point in both his football path and his spiritual life. After an injury-affected 2025 season, his 2026 campaign will test patience, health, and leadership. His public comments about trusting God are documented by Sports Spectrum.
11. Baker Mayfield — Quarterback, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Baker Mayfield’s testimony is valuable because he does not present it as a perfectly straight lifelong path. He has spoken about misunderstanding Christianity, struggling with identity, watching his football career fall apart, and eventually learning more deeply about grace and Jesus Christ.
Mayfield has said that God had to take his career “down to the studs” so he could understand that he was more than a football player. As he rebuilt his career in Tampa Bay, he and his wife also built their family foundation around faith.
This story can connect with athletes who feel they must repair themselves before approaching God. It also speaks to players facing failure or a lost opportunity. A setback may expose where identity has been misplaced. Mayfield remains Tampa Bay’s quarterback in 2026, and his continuing journey is worth following. Read his testimony in this Sports Spectrum feature.
12. Saquon Barkley — Running Back, Philadelphia Eagles
Saquon Barkley has been refreshingly careful not to overstate his spiritual maturity. During Super Bowl LIX week, he described himself as still learning Scripture and growing in his understanding of Jesus. He credited his agent, who is also a pastor, with studying the Bible alongside him.
Barkley later described himself as having recently become a Christian. That developing testimony makes his story different from players who have spoken publicly about faith for many years. Growth does not require pretending to know everything immediately.
As one of football’s most recognizable stars, Barkley will continue to receive attention for his performance. His story gives fans an opportunity to watch someone discuss faith as an ongoing relationship rather than a finished public image. Sports Spectrum covers his developing faith.
13. Ty Simpson — Quarterback, Los Angeles Rams
The Rams surprised many observers by selecting Ty Simpson 13th overall in the 2026 NFL Draft. Simpson immediately gave glory to Jesus Christ on the draft stage.
His rookie season presents a situation many young players understand: preparing behind someone else. Matthew Stafford is the reigning NFL MVP and remains the Rams’ starter. Simpson may spend much of 2026 learning, practicing, and waiting rather than receiving immediate game-day attention.
Faithfulness in a backup role can be difficult. Preparation matters even when the opportunity is uncertain, and humility matters when ambition is strong. Simpson’s Christian faith and developmental role make him one of the most interesting rookies to follow. NFL.com explains the Rams’ selection and succession plan.
14. Jordyn Tyson — Wide Receiver, New Orleans Saints
New Orleans selected Jordyn Tyson eighth overall in the 2026 NFL Draft. His path to the league included repeated injuries, spiritual change, baptism, and a growing conviction that his identity is in Christ rather than football.
Tyson has described recognizing that Jesus had been present throughout years when he felt lost. After learning from Christians around him, he was baptized and began speaking publicly about relying on God through trials. He has said that his faith helped him interpret injuries as opportunities to mature rather than reasons to abandon hope.
That story became immediately relevant again when Tyson suffered a hamstring injury during an August joint practice. His status should be handled carefully until the Saints provide a clear timeline, but the setback gives his faith-through-injury message real 2026 significance. Read his testimony in Sports Spectrum.
15. Kendrick Bourne — Wide Receiver, Arizona Cardinals
Kendrick Bourne’s story may be the most dramatic transformation on this list. He has spoken openly about partying, drugs, depression, injuries, emptiness, sobriety, baptism, marriage, fatherhood, service, and discovering that fame could not satisfy him.
Bourne’s faith has influenced where he gives his money, how he serves families, the music he creates, and how he responds when his football role becomes smaller. That last point matters. A testimony should not depend on receiving targets or remaining a starter.
Bourne signed with the Arizona Cardinals in 2026 after spending the previous season with San Francisco. His new team and changing role provide another chapter in a story centered on redemption and service rather than statistics alone. A detailed account of his transformation appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle.
What Can Young Christian Football Players Learn From These NFL Players?
The most useful lesson is not that Christian football players always succeed. This list includes champions, injured rookies, backups, veterans changing teams, athletes rebuilding careers, and players still learning what faith means.
Your identity must be bigger than football
Brock Purdy, C.J. Stroud, Ashton Jeanty, and others have described identity in Christ as more stable than performance. Football matters, but it cannot safely carry the full weight of a person’s worth.
Success creates spiritual challenges too
Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s story shows why humility matters after winning awards and championships. Success can reveal character as clearly as failure.
Injuries do not erase purpose
Jordyn Tyson and Kendrick Bourne have both discussed faith through injury. Recovery may require medical care, patience, rehabilitation, and accepting a timeline the athlete did not choose.
Christian teammates need community
Drake Maye and TreVeyon Henderson emphasize chapel, discipleship, and conversations with teammates. Athletes are not expected to grow alone.
Faith does not guarantee playing time
Ty Simpson may spend 2026 preparing behind an established starter. Being a Christian does not guarantee a depth-chart promotion, scholarship, contract, or preferred outcome.
A developing testimony can still be honest
Baker Mayfield and Saquon Barkley have spoken about growth rather than presenting themselves as finished examples. Christian athletes should be able to admit what they are still learning.
For practical Scripture covering pressure, teamwork, injury, winning, and losing, read All In Faith’s guide to the best Bible verses for football players.
How Do NFL Players Express Their Christian Faith?
NFL players express their beliefs in different ways. Public examples include:
- Speaking about Jesus in interviews
- Participating in team chapel and Bible studies
- Praying before and after games
- Being baptized
- Sharing Scripture or testimony on social media
- Supporting teammates spiritually
- Serving through charitable foundations
- Participating in campus or community faith events
- Using football visibility to discuss the Gospel
Public words should be considered alongside humility, service, accountability, and treatment of others. Fans also should avoid assuming they know everything about a player’s private spiritual life from a short interview or social-media post.
Are There Christian Ministries for Football Players?
Yes. Football players may participate in organizations such as the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and Athletes in Action, as well as team chapels, church groups, campus ministries, and player-led Bible studies.
Sports ministry is not limited to professional athletes. Coaches, parents, youth players, trainers, and volunteers can use relationships developed through sports to serve others and share their beliefs respectfully. Learn more about sports ministry and sports evangelism.
Frequently Asked Questions About Christian NFL Players
Who are some Christian football players in the NFL?
Publicly outspoken Christian NFL players include TreVeyon Henderson, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Drake Maye, Brock Purdy, C.J. Stroud, Caleb Downs, Baker Mayfield, and others. Each has discussed Jesus Christ or Christian faith through interviews, testimonies, baptism, ministry participation, or public statements.
Which NFL quarterbacks are Christian?
Christian quarterbacks who have spoken publicly about their beliefs include Brock Purdy, C.J. Stroud, Drake Maye, Jayden Daniels, Baker Mayfield, Fernando Mendoza, and Ty Simpson. Their experiences range from established starters to rookies preparing behind veteran quarterbacks.
Who are the most outspoken Christian NFL players in 2026?
TreVeyon Henderson is among the most consistently outspoken young Christian players in the league. Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Drake Maye, Brock Purdy, C.J. Stroud, Caleb Downs, and Fernando Mendoza have also made direct public statements about Jesus Christ and the role of faith in their lives.
Which 2026 NFL rookies have spoken about Christian faith?
Fernando Mendoza, Caleb Downs, Ty Simpson, and Jordyn Tyson are prominent members of the 2026 rookie class who have spoken publicly about God, Jesus Christ, baptism, prayer, or Christian identity.
Do NFL teams have chaplains and Bible studies?
Many NFL players participate in voluntary chapel services, Bible studies, prayer groups, and conversations with team chaplains. Participation and structure can differ among organizations and players.
Does being a Christian athlete mean praying to win?
Christian players can honestly tell God that they want to win, but prayer should not treat victory as proof that God favors one team. Athletes can also pray for safety, wisdom, discipline, sportsmanship, humility, and strength to respond faithfully to any result.
How can a young football player share faith?
A young player can share faith through respectful conversations, dependable effort, honest competition, encouragement, service, humility, and participation in a church or sports ministry. A player’s conduct should support rather than contradict the message being shared.
Follow Faith Through the Entire 2026 NFL Season
To see how faith, identity, and football culture can also be expressed through jewelry, read our guide to football chains and necklaces worn by NFL players.
The 2026 NFL season will bring championships, injuries, position changes, criticism, unexpected opportunities, and difficult disappointments. These 15 Christian football players are worth following because their stories address more than athletic success. They show athletes trying to understand identity, purpose, humility, discipleship, patience, and trust in God within one of the world’s most demanding sports environments.
Fans who want a meaningful reminder of faith throughout football season can explore All In Faith’s collection of Christian football jewelry and football necklaces, including football crosses, Ichthys football designs, jersey-number jewelry, and other expressions of your faith | your sport.
