Legendary Coach Credits His Faith for His Life and Career

As a college football head coach, Bobby Bowden won more than 400 games - including two national championships.

His greatest victory, however, may have come when he was just 13 years old.

In the new documentary about the legend's life, "The Bowden Dynasty: A Story of Faith, Family & Football," the future Hall of Famer tells how he suffered through a bout of rheumatic fever as a teenager.

The sickness was so severe that Bowden was left bedridden for a year.  He was even told that he wouldn't be able to play football again.  However, Bowden says he prayed through the ordeal, and credits his faith for helping heal him.  

It certainly wasn't the last prayer for the icon of Florida State University football. Bowden remembers praying throughout his career as both a player and a coach.

"I was lucky I had a Christian mother and a Christian dad and sister.  They took us to church every Sunday and Sunday night," he told The Washington Times.  

"We were raised that way, and that's all we knew. That was probably the foundation of my life. Therefore, I tried to follow the principles that I was taught."

"The Bowden Dynasty: A Story of Faith, Family & Football" will be released nationwide Sunday for one day only. To locate a theater screening the film, go to FathomEvents.com.

"The Bowden Dynasty," which was produced by Rob Harvell, Brian Goodwin, and John Corry for ESPN films, weaves the story of Bowden's life with game footage.  It features interviews with some of the biggest names in college football, as well as childhood friends who knew him before he was a famous head coach.

Deion Sanders, who played under Bowden at Florida State, called his former leader "the best college football coach ever."

There were certainly times when Bowden's faith was put to the test - such as after the tragic death of FSU lineman Pablo Lopez in 1986.  Lopez, a team leader, was shot during an off-campus argument.  

"That was tough, because a football team is like a family. You have 100 players, and they're all pretty close together," he said. "Then one of their favorite buddies gets murdered. It was a time where it gave me a chance to talk to them about life after death, and I was able to witness to them because of that."

For more with Coach Bowden, tune in to Monday's 700 Club for an interview with CBN Sports' Tom Buehring.