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‘Trust God’: Former NFL Player Leger Douzable On Surrender And Faith

Photo from Leger Douzable’s Instagram

‘Trust God’: Former NFL Player Leger Douzable On Surrender And Faith

By Movieguide® Staff

After 10 years in the NFL, defensive lineman Leger Douzable followed his passion for sports broadcasting.

However, Douzable said that trusting the Lord was essential for his career in the NFL and afterward in sports media.

Douzable retired in 2017 and now works as a broadcaster for SportsNet New York (SNY) and ESPN.

“It’s been a blessing. This is what I want to do,” Douzable said on the Sports Spectrum Podcast. “This is what I love to do, this is my passion. God has blessed me to put me in a position to be able to work for multiple media outlets so I don’t complain, man. It’s a blessing. I know people would kill to be in a position that I’m in.”

Douzable said that broadcasting was always something he wanted to pursue whether or not he found success in the NFL.

Despite going undrafted, Douzable said that he is thankful for a 10 season career in the NFL.

“Gratitude for sure, but another term I would use is, ‘Why me? Why did the Lord bless me with this opportunity?'” he said. “I played 10 years as an undrafted guy, that rarely even happens. I believe in my draft class, there was only two D-linemen that played longer than me and I was undrafted. So I sit back and thank the Lord all the time.

“I never take anything for granted and I thank Him literally every day for putting me in this situation cause I know there’s so many other guys that would literally die to be in the position that I am in right now. And I just can’t thank Him enough for that,” he added.

Douzable recalled that his mother and father instilled Christian faith into him early.

“I grew up in the church,” he explained. “My dad’s one of the strongest guys I know, been through a lot in life. He wasn’t always a believer, was in the streets and stuff, things like that. And I remember my mom had us going to church before that. Then my dad accepted Christ and I saw his journey and I think just as a little kid watching that journey and seeing my dad transform, and become the superhero in my eyes that he is, that literally brought me closer to the Lord.”

Douzable said that watching his peers perform in a play about Jesus’ life also encouraged him to give his life to Christ.

Before his NFL career and broadcasting career were solidified, Douzable’s faith in the Lord was tested.

“You work your whole life to play the game that you love,” he said. “You hear certain scouts and you see article clips and stuff of you potentially going to the third round, and then your name doesn’t get called. But that’s where my faith was really tested. That’s where I knew I had to really hone into what God was trying to put me through. I knew it was just for a season to elevate me.”

After ten years in the league, Douzable’s future was again uncertain.

“COVID hit and then instead of hiring people, they were letting people go,” he said. “That could have been the end of my broadcasting career right there. But you know, I kept my head down, prayed. I knew God had something in store for me.”

“Sometimes I was working for free just to keep my name out there, working for very cheap, almost free labor. But planting all those seeds that led me to the point where I am now. I never turned my back on God because I knew there was a reason why He put me through that storm, it was to come out on top.”

Douzable said that he often quotes Matthew 6:34 which reads: “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

“There’s no point of you adding on to the misery and anxiety that you already have. Trust God handle what you got to handle today, and tomorrow, handle tomorrow. That’s why surrender and faith are so important in those situations,” he said.

Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.

What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.

You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.

Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.


Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.

What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.

You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.

Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.