Art Stricklin

ARLINGTON, Texas (BP)–Late on a rainy Sunday night at Cowboys Stadium, just moments after leading the Green Bay Packers to a 31-25 Super Bowl XLV victory, quarterback Aaron Rodgers didn’t shy away from talking about his faith on sports’ biggest stage. “You know, God doesn’t care who wins this game,” he told reporters after the […]

DALLAS, Texas (BP)–Atlanta Falcons All-Pro fullback Ovie Mughelli flew directly from sunny and warm Hawaii, after his first Pro Bowl appearance, to snowy and bone-chillingly cold Dallas for only one reason on Friday. His appearance was for the 12th annual Super Bowl Gospel Celebration, an officially sanctioned NFL Super Bowl XLV event, and one that […]

GRAPEVINE, Texas (BP)–New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees won the Bart Starr Award Saturday, selected by sports ministry leader Athletes in Action. Brees was the MVP of the 2010 Super Bowl as the Saints won their first NFL title, but he was honored Saturday for his strong community involvement and most importantly his personal faith in […]

DALLAS (BP)--The 2011 NFL season featured the appearance of three highly touted quarterbacks, dedicated to honoring God with their considerable ability. [QUOTE@left@150="I think they're beginning to see how important it is to have the ability and the platform to share [their faith] in the NFL."
-- Jason Witten]      Those who watched Colt McCoy, Tim Tebow and Sam Bradford in their first professional year said Thursday at Super Bowl XLV media headquarters they came away impressed with their ability and maturity.       Kurt Warner, who won a Super Bowl with the St. Louis Rams and led the Arizona Cardinals to the verge of another one before retiring, said he was thrilled to see the faith-filled trio carrying on a Christian legacy.       "You always need standard-bearers to set the ground rules," said Warner, who wore a black and white T-shirt with the large word "Sanctify" on the back, while making the rounds in the media center. "To the extent I was able to make it easier for them, no matter if you're talking about faith or football or anything else, is great."       After completing a stellar college football season, Bradford, from Oklahoma, was the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft and almost led the Rams back to the playoffs while starting at QB his first season.       Tebow, the former Florida Gator, was a first-round pick of the Denver Broncos and was able to start later in the year. McCoy, from Texas, wasn't picked until the third round by the Cleveland Browns, but also worked his way into the starting lineup later in the season.       "I was pleased with where I was picked, because I know there is always a plan and a purpose," McCoy said Thursday in the media center. "I feel I'm in the right place with the right team and the right opportunity. I'm convinced it will work out for the best."       He was married before his first NFL season in Cleveland and now lives in a condo in Austin, Texas, during the offseason with his new wife, a graduate of Baylor University. They still attend their college church.       Another Christian player, Dallas Cowboy All-Pro tight end Jason Witten, said the experience of older spiritual players has made it easier for the young ones to come along.       "You see some of the older guys like a Kurt Warner and a Jon Kitna set the bar high for sharing their faith and being up front with what is important to them and where they are in their faith," he said.       Witten, who grew up attending First Baptist Church in Elizabethton, Tenn., and currently attends Valley Ranch Baptist Church in Irving, Texas, said the ability to share to a wide audience was what he was looking for in the spotlighted rookies.

ARLINGTON, Texas (BP)–Unlike some of the young and often flashy multi-millionaires who come into the NFL each year, coaches tend to be older, more matured, and concerned with life lessons instead of six-figure bonuses. That’s exactly what Green Bay Packers chaplain Troy Murphy has found in his two years of conducting Friday morning coaches’ Bible […]

ARLINGTON, Texas (BP)–Working together for the last four years, Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin and defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau have formed one of the most powerful combinations in the NFL. Together, they have led the Steelers to two Super Bowl appearances in the last three years. Last summer LeBeau became one of the first […]

ARLINGTON, Texas (BP)--NFL experts and newspaper headline writers have been quick to label Green Bay starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers the "Leader of the Pack."

ARLINGTON, Texas (BP)–When the Pittsburgh Steelers made their last Super Bowl visit in 2009, team chaplain Kevin Jordan was just a rookie in his first year of NFL ministry. But when the Steelers return for Super Bowl XLV in Texas this weekend, Jordan returns as a seasoned spiritual veteran attuned to the team’s spiritual needs. […]

ARLINGTON, Texas (BP)–Green Bay Packers chaplain Troy Murphy was born in Hawaii, loves warm weather and is happiest when he’s on the water, wearing board shorts and spending time with his wife and four daughters. But the senior pastor of Green Bay (Wis.) Community Church also loves to warm the hearts of men, and that’s […]

ARLINGTON, Texas (BP)–Super Bowl XLV, the world’s most watched sporting event, makes its first-ever trip to north Texas this week, venturing to a longtime football hotbed and headquarters for various Baptist and Christian-based ministries. The massive $1 billion Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, where the Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers will vie for the NFL […]