Stroud’s faith was a hot topic last week
Houston Texans rookie C.J. Stroud has an ally in Atlanta Falcons punter Bradley Pinion after the quarterback’s belief in God and Jesus Christ became a topic of conversation last week.
Pinion, the Falcons’ nominee for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, appeared on OutKick’s “Don’t @ Me with Dan Dakich” and praised Stroud.
“I think Stroud is an amazing player. I love that he puts Christ first in every single interview that he does and just leads with Christ,” Pinion told Dakich Tuesday.
C.J. Stroud of the Houston Texans after an NFL divisional playoff game against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium Jan. 20, 2024, in Baltimore. (Kara Durrette/Getty Images)
Pinion added that he was a big fan of DeMeco Ryans and had a feeling he would be a “heck of a head coach” when Ryans got the opportunity. Ryans and the Texans were one win away from the AFC championship, but the team lost to the Baltimore Ravens Saturday.
Pinion and his wife Kaeleigh have launched “Punts for Purpose” alongside Compassion International with the goal of supporting child survival centers in the developing world. The punter is donating $1,000 to the charity for every one of his punts that fell within the 20-yard line this season.
C.J. Stroud of the Houston Texans warms up before the start of the Texans-Baltimore Ravens AFC divisional playoff game at M&T Bank Stadium Jan. 20, 2024, in Baltimore. (Rob Carr/Getty Images)
According to the Falcons, Pinion has raised more than $20,000 for the cause.
“I firmly believe that God put me in this position to help people and to use this platform to share His light and to share His word,” he told Fox News Digital last month.
He called being nominated for the Walter Payton Man of the Year award a “huge honor.”
“And it’s one of those things that you just — I’ve said it a few times already, but you don’t set out to win,” he said. “You just kind of set out to use the platform that God’s given you to the best way possible, and this is a byproduct of it.
Bradley Pinion of the Atlanta Falcons warms up before a game against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium Oct. 29, 2023, in Nashville.(Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
“It’s one of those – I’d call it kind of the best award in football, honestly, because it’s not always about the play on the field but what you use your platform for. And this kind of embodies that. So, it’s a huge honor. And I’m just proud to represent the Falcons as a nominee this year.”
