5 Christian Football Players Who Also Had Political Careers

Former NFL star running back Herschel Walker is running for the U.S. Senate in Georgia. Wikipedia Commons photo.

The worlds of football and politics have intersected many times over the past few decades. As a result, many who plied their trade on the gridiron have not been shy about making political statements, especially in the last few years.

Many have gone a step further by entering politics. Some of these football greats — not shy about publicly professing their Christian faith — have also used their religious beliefs to inform their politics and run for office.

The latest Christian to enter the political fray is former running back, Herschel Walker. A controversial candidate, the 60-year-old Walker, a member of the 1992 U.S. bobsled team, played with five NFL teams in the late 1980s and early ‘90s. He’s currently running for the U.S. Senate in Georgia.

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“I’ve worked on every campaign in Georgia, virtually, since 1976,” Faith & Freedom founder Ralph Reed told Politico. “I’ve never seen a candidate that open about his faith, ever, on the Republican side.”

Here are five Christian football stars who entered the political arena:

Gerald Ford

Ford came to prominence in the 1970s, a different era in American politics compared to today. He reached the pinnacle of his career in 1974, when he was sworn in as president after Richard Nixon’s resignation.

Ford previously served as the leader of the Republican Party in the U.S. House of Representatives and was appointed vice president in 1973. As a result, he became the only president never to have been elected to the office of president or vice president.

Former President Gerald Ford was a standout college football player. Wikipedia Commons photo.

Despite being mocked a klutz, Ford had been a college football star. He attended the University of Michigan, where he played both as a center and linebacker. Ford helped the Wolverines to two undefeated seasons and back-to-back national titles in 1932 and 1933.

Ford kept his faith mostly private but revealed it on numerous occasions while in the White House. After he was appointed vice president, Ford told reporters: “(Faith is) not something one shouts from the housetops or wears on his sleeve. For me, my religious feeling is a deep personal faith I rely on for guidance from my God.”

Steve Largent

Like Ford, Largent was a Republican lawmaker who served in the House. He represented Oklahoma’s 1st Congressional District from 1994 to 2002 and was the GOP nominee in the 2002 Oklahoma gubernatorial election.

Former House member Steve Largent, who played his entire career with the Seattle Seahawks, was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1995. Photo courtesy of the NFL.

Largent, now 67, played college football at Tulsa University as a wide receiver. He went on to play in the NFL with the then-expansion Seattle Seahawks in 1976. He spent his entire career with the Seahawks and is widely regarded as one of the greatest wide receivers in NFL history.

Largent even earned the nickname Yoda because he could catch anything thrown at him. Largent was inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1995.

“My purpose in playing is to represent Christ,” Largent told Sports Spectrum. “And my motivation is to be the very best I can be. That involves preparing myself physically, mentally, spiritually, and emotionally to be a great football player.”

J.C. Watts

Like Largent, Watts also had a connection to Oklahoma and the GOP. Watts served in the House of Representatives from 1995 to 2003 as a Republican, representing Oklahoma’s 4th Congressional District. He later worked for President George W. Bush and as a lobbyist.

Former House member J.C. Watts was a quarterback who went on to play professional football in the CFL. Wikipedia Commons photo.

Watts had also been a star in college, playing quarterback for the Oklahoma Sooners. He later played professional football in the Canadian Football League.

Watts, who is also a Baptist minister, told the Christian Broadcasting Network that he became a youth pastor in 1987.

“And in 1988 as a youth pastor of a church, I accepted Christ,” he added.

Tommy Tuberville

Elected to the U.S. Senate representing Alabama in 2020, Tuberville, a Republican, had worked as head coach at several schools, including Auburn University from 1999 to 2008. He also had a stint on television as an ESPN analyst.

An ally of former President Donald Trump, Tuberville has been among those who have claimed Joe Biden did not actually win the 2020 presidential election.

Tommy Tuberville, a college football coach turned U.S. Senator, has falsely argued that Donald Trump won the 2020 presidential election. Photo via YouTube.

Prior to coaching Auburn, he attended Southern Arkansas University, where he was a safety. He later coached at the University of Mississippi from 1995 to 1998, Texas Tech University from 2010 to 2012 and the University of Cincinnati from 2013 to 2016.

Tuberville was honored with the 2004 Walter Camp and Bear Bryant Coach of the Year awards following Auburn’s 13-0 season. The team won the Sugar Bowl that season.

The 68-year-old Tuberville, a Church of Christ member, mentioned his churchgoing on the campaign trail, saying, “I haven’t slowed down. I usually work seven days, mostly six days a week and go to church on Sunday. I have enjoyed every bit of it.”

Herschel Walker

The aforementioned Walker also got Trump’s endorsement in his senatorial bid, which helped him win the GOP primary. Walker, a first-time candidate for political office, faces incumbent Raphael Warnock in the general election. Warnock is a pastor.

Herschel Walker, one of the greatest college football players in history, on the cover of Sports Illustrated in 1981. Photo via Sports Illustrated archives.

Walker, who served on the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition under Trump, won the Heisman Trophy as college football’s best player in 1992 as a member of the University of Georgia. He later became a two-time NFL Pro Bowler and the only player to gain 4,000 yards by rushing, receiving and kickoff returns.

Walker, who like Tuberville is a 2020 election denier, has largely run on a family values platform. His criticism of absentee fathers has backfired after it was recently revealed that he has three children with whom he’s not in contact.

Walker is also a practicing Christian — a trait that has made him attractive to many voters — who has used the campaign trail to express his faith.

“I can get so high off my belief and my will that it’s almost like you are invincible,” Walker said. “I’m so high off God that I don’t care what you do, you can never destroy me.”

Clemente Lisi is a senior editor at Religion Unplugged and teaches journalism at The King’s College in New York City. His new book “The FIFA World Cup: A History of the Planet's Biggest Sporting Event” comes out Oct. 12. Follow him on Twitter @ClementeLisi.