'You Can Always Rely on God': Former Miss Universe Says Faith Is Foundation of Relationship with NFL Star
Former Miss Universe Olivia Culpo is sharing about her relationship with boyfriend San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey and how important it is that their relationship is "rooted in God."
She made the comments on her new reality television series airing on TLC titled The Culpo Sisters.
During an interview with Fox News, the Rhode Island native said it was McCaffrey's faith that impressed her to break her own dating rule: "no athletes ever again." The pair have been a couple for the last three years.
It's not clear what she might believe about Christ at this point in her spiritual journey, but Culpo is clearly declaring her faith in God. She explained the couple's relationship has a faith-based foundation.
"The foundation of our relationship has always been God," she explained. "And I feel like when things are hard or when you're both overwhelmed {and} there's not a ton that you can give to each other, you can always rely on God. So I feel like if the foundation is there if there's a foundation of that in any relationship, it is incredibly helpful. Sometimes you just need help with any relationship… That's not only like with friendships. It's with everything. I think it's important to be faith-based, truly."
Culpo's boyfriend McCaffrey, has been an outspoken Christian throughout his NFL career. He played for the Stanford Cardinals in college before being drafted by the Carolina Panthers in the first round of the 2017 draft. He signed a $64 million contract with the team in April of 2020, including a $21.5 million signing bonus, making him the highest-paid running back in the NFL at the time, according to The U.S. Sun.
The Panthers then traded McCaffrey, 26, to the 49ers mid-season in order to have three additional picks in the Spring 2023 draft.
He's the son of former NFL wide receiver Ed McCaffrey and former Stanford soccer player Lisa McCaffrey.
The Colorado native is often seen praying before games, according to Sports Spectrum. He has gone on record, saying his most common celebration after scoring a touchdown is beating his chest and pointing up to God.
McCaffrey wrote about his faith in 2016 while he was at Stanford in an article titled Why I Play Football for The Player's Tribune.
"When you see me take the field, know that I'm playing for more than just football. I have a strong faith in God," he wrote. "I don't think He's looking down on me and hoping that I score touchdowns. Nah, He just wants to see that I did my absolute best on that particular day."
McCaffrey's favorite Bible verse is found in the Old Testament. Proverbs 1:7 reads: "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction."
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He told Insider during an interview last year that the verse is a mindset he uses while playing football.
"If you fear God, it's not like you're scared of him, but it's a respect thing," McCaffrey said. "As an athlete, it tells you not to fear anybody. I'm not scared of anybody, and it can kind of give you that confidence booster that you need in life, that there's only one person that you should fear and respect in that high of a regard, and that's God."
The NFL star also pointed to the first four books of the New Testament as a guide to see different views of Jesus' life and how we should strive to be like him.
"My favorite chapters in The Bible are Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, just because they're all a different perspective of Jesus' life," McCaffrey told Insider. "Whether you believe in it or not, the kind of person he was, it gives perspective on how we all should live."
EDITOR'S NOTE: In reporting about steps that high-profile individuals may be taking to seek God, CBN does not endorse past or current behavior that may not line up with the Word of God. As we report positive developments in celebrities' spiritual journeys, we encourage our readers to pray for anyone and everyone in the news, that the fruit of God would grow in all of our lives.
