By Mallory Mattingly
NFL Hall of Fame safety Brian Dawkins recently shared how he relies on the Holy Spirit in moments when anger threatens to take over.
“When a flash flood comes, it destroys everything in its path. That rush of water destroys everything in its path,” Dawkins said on Sports Spectrum’s podcast. “But when you have a dam in its place, and that flash flood comes, and you strategically open vents, right? You then control that which was once uncontrollable, because you have a dam up, right?”
Dawkins explained that the dam for us as Christians is the Holy Spirit.
“And so that same way that that destructive anger that I once had, now it’s more under control,” the safety explained. “And then on game day, I can open those vents wide open, right, in a constructive way.”
Dawkins continued: “Now all that anger that was once anger now is being displayed as passion on the field, passion for my teammates, passion to get the job done, passion to inflict some — I’m not trying to hurt — but inflict some pain every once in a while. So, that’s how it hit me, and when it hit me this way on game day, I was like, ‘Oh my goodness, I cannot wait to do this thing,’ because I had all of that energy, and all of that anger that was once used in destruction now I use it as passion, because I can control it.”
Dawkins spent 16 seasons in the NFL, from 1996-2011. He continues to use his platform to share about his faith.
“Now hear this. Be the gardener of your thoughts, or you will be the prisoner of them!” he wrote in a post on Instagram. “If you are submitted and let them, The Holy Spirit and the Word of God are constantly working in us, just like a gardener works the land. They clear out the weeds, break up the hardened soil of our hearts, water us with truth, and plant seeds of wisdom, discipline, and faith.”
“But here’s the thing,” Dawkins added. “We must not only allow them to tend the soil of our heart/mind, but we must also do our part. We must be intentional about what we allow to grow in our minds/hearts. What we watch, read, listen to. Bitterness, fear, pride, and doubt? Pull them up! Faith, peace, and purpose? Feed them with the Word.”
Related: 13-Year NFL Vet Keeps Playing Football for This God-Glorifying Reason
Recently, Dawkins wrote on X, “One of the fruit of the Holy Spirit, is self-control!!” adding 2 Timothy 1:7: “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and a sound mind or self-discipline!”
🙏🏽 One of the fruit of the Holy Spirit, is self-control!! My favorite verse is 2 Timothy 1:7
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and a sound mind or self-discipline!”
It reminds me of what we, as believers, have been given in that regard.
— Brian Dawkins (@BrianDawkins) May 30, 2025
If you struggle with anger, ask God for help, and the Holy Spirit will help you redirect those feelings like He did for Dawkins,
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