Ways Players and Churches Were Honoring God on Super Bowl Sunday

As the national media gave much attention to Super Bowl LI, a number of churchgoers were tuning in to hear three players talk about their faith on the big screen.  

Receivers Brandon Marshall, Anquan Boldin and former New York Jets offensive lineman D'Brickashaw Ferguson and their wives shared their testimony during the annual "Football Sunday" program. 

"Football Sunday" is an annual evangelistic program produced by Pro Athletes Outreach. Pro Athletes Outreach is the media arm of the Increase, a website that allows Christian professional athletes to share their stories and words of encouragement, The Christian Post reports. 

This year's event was hosted by Baltimore Ravens tight end Benjamin Watson and his wife, Kristen.

The free downloadable program allowed pastors to broadcast during church services on Super Bowl Sunday. The hope was that members would be able to encourage non-churchgoing friends to attend service. 

"'Football Sunday' is an opportunity for churches around the world to stream a made-for-service video that pastors can use for the Super Bowl," Watson told the Post. "Everybody is excited about Super Bowl Sunday and it gives pastors the opportunity to do something football oriented or football themed for service."

"There is an opportunity for pastors to use all of it or some of it. It is a time where people can say, 'Look, it is Super Bowl Sunday!' Everybody is excited about football and they can invite their friends to church to watch a special video," Watson added. "It is an evangelistic tool."

Click play to watch how NFL players are honoring fallen soldiers

The Atlanta Falcons and New England Patriots faced off in Super Bowl LI and six of the team's players are devout believers, including Vic Beasley Jr., Julio Jones, Matt Slater, and Nate Solder. 

Vic Beasley Jr. plays outside linebacker for the Atlanta Falcons and has been a believer since childhood. 

"My grandparents made it clear to me that we were going to be in church on Sundays and Bible study on Wednesdays," Beasley's childhood friend, Nigel Curtis, said, according to the Marietta Daily Journal. "Vic will tell you himself, everything that's happened in his life, he knows for a fact that he wouldn't be able to accomplish the things he's accomplished if it wasn't for Jesus Christ."

Julio Jones, wide receiver for the Falcons, has identified himself as a "young Christian man" on social media. 

Matt Slater with the New England Patriots makes it a point to study the Bible despite his rigorous practice schedule. 

"It's so hard to navigate the course of the day without looking into God's word...," Slater said in a video for the YouVersion Bible app. "It makes me feel better about the direction of my day and how I interact with people throughout the course of the day."

Patriot's player, Nate Solder, has stood on his faith during one of the toughest battles in his life. In 2015, his 6-month-old son was diagnosed with a tumor. 

Solder recently told WCVB-TV that his son was doing better and that it was his faith in Jesus that helped get him through the tough time. 

"It wasn't me," he said. "We were carried through by our family, our community, our faith in Christ."

According to a new poll by PRRI, 41 percent of churches will be tuning in to watch these players hit the field. Although 64 percent don't believe that God will interfere with who wins the Big Game, they do believe that God will bless the players for their faith.