The minute you start to think that you’re first and your plans matter more than God’s is the minute your life starts to go the wrong way.”
That’s the motto that Sam Bradford, Philadelphia Eagles quarterback, keeps in his mind every day as he takes to the field.
Bradford, 28, former starting quarterback for Oklahoma University in Norman, said in an “I Am Second” video that he faced a lot of pressure to play well during college and put a lot of pressure on himself to play well.
“I am a perfectionist and I try to make everything perfect, whether it’s on the field or in the classroom, I expect to win.”
But, he said, “I realize that (every time I go out on the field) I’m not doing it myself. I know that the Lord is out there with me and has given me all the talent I have and without Him there’s no way I would even step out on a football field.”
He said having the assurance that God is always with him brings him calm during a game and in everyday life.
Spending time with the Lord
“To have a relationship with the Lord and be able to spend time with Him … is something that lets me get away from everything else. I stop thinking about football. … I stop thinking about any of the problems that are going on in my life,” Bradford said.
“I know having a relationship with Him gives me strength and gives me a sense of comfort.”
Bradford was the second college sophomore to win the Heisman Trophy and played for the Sooners from 2006 to 2009.
He was drafted by the St. Louis Rams first overall in 2010 and set the record for the most completions by a rookie in NFL history during his first season. He was then awarded the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award and the Carroll Rosenbloom Memorial Award. He signed with the Eagles in 2015. In his first game with the Eagles, Bradford completed 36 out of 52 passes for a touchdown and two interceptions and went 7–7 as a starter in his first season with the team.
As Bradford looks to God every day, he said he also looks to the future.
“The reward of knowing Him is eternal life in heaven. … I know that everything He wants you to do is the right thing to do. That’s how I try to live my life.”
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