Brock Purdy, the quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers who is known for his Christian faith and his willingness to proclaim it publically, recently did so yet again in an interview with Sports Spectrum before the 2024 Super Bowl, in which he will be leading his team and playing alongside numerous other high-profile Christians. In that interview, he spoke about the Bible passage with which he starts every day, Psalm 23.
His comments on the verse and his faith came when Sports Spectrum asked the 24-year-old quarterback if he prays while on the field during games. Purdy said both that he does so and that his prayer and focus on faith have helped him remain calm and steadfast in the gametime chaos.
He said, “Yeah, I do. It’s not, ‘God, can we win here? Can we do something great here?’ It’s more just to have that peace, that steadfastness in all the chaos. That’s really what it is. It’s sinking back into, ‘Holy Spirit, take over and lead me here in this moment and allow me to think clearly, allow me to obviously go through my reads.’ Like I said, just have an even-keeled mind that I get from the Holy Spirit.”
Continuing, he then added that Psalm 23 has helped him make it through this season and stay grounded. He said, “For me, playing this game, playing this sport, there’s a lot that goes into it and it’s easy to get wrapped up in wanting to be loved — obviously by your teammates but [also] the world. So for me in that passage, it’s talking about [how] I already have what I need from the Good Shepherd in Jesus.”
Speaking more about that passage and how it has impacted him this season, Purdy revealed that he has started off every day with it, reading it to himself to get his mind right before beginning the day. He said, “I’ve just been studying Psalm 23 throughout the whole season, been going back to it. It’s what I start off with actually every single day; I just read off Psalm 23 to myself before I start off with some solitude, and then go about my day.”
Psalm 23, one of the more famous Psalms, says, “The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths
for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”
Watch Purdy here:
Similarly, in another interview about his faith, Purdy said that he is “rooted” in his faith and “I know that God’s going to take care of wherever I’m at in my life, whether it’s football or not, and so I’m actually able to use that when I’m making decisions and playing football.”
Featured image credit: screengrab from the embedded video