By Mallory Mattingly
Atlanta Falcons safety Justin Simmons once made football an idol in his life, but after one practice where he was “the absolute worst teammate and person of all time,” Simmons found Jesus.
“I grew up in a house where church was second nature. Being the oldest of two younger brothers, that is the family that I was raised into. Church on Sunday, youth group on Wednesday, Bible study on Thursdays. I always was the kid that posted scripture and talked about Jesus, but sports was always an idol in my life. I always elevated that higher than I did my relationship with the Lord,” Simmons said in the Sports Spectrum “I Once Was” series.
“When I transitioned from high school to college for football, I wanted to succeed so badly in my collegiate sport and prove everyone wrong—that I could make it to the NFL—that I abandoned everything God had placed in my life: my accountability group back in my hometown, my relationship with my girlfriend at the time, my relationship with my brothers, my parents, my school, and most importantly, my relationship with the Lord. All of that was second, third, fourth, fifth to football,” he continued.
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During training camp in his junior year of college, Simmons “had the worst practice—very uncharacteristic of myself. I was yelling and cussing at coaches, yelling and cussing at players, hitting after the play, just being the absolute worst teammate and person.”
“I left practice and called my then-girlfriend, now wife, while walking to my dorm room,” he explained. “As soon as I called, I immediately started bawling and crying. It was as if the Holy Spirit was tugging at my heart, whispering, ‘Come home. Come home. Come home.’
“It was then that my girlfriend walked me through a salvation prayer,” the safety concluded. “I always tell people I got baptized when I was young with my dad, but I got saved when I was in college—and it was the best thing to ever happen to me.”
Simmons remains unashamed about his faith and has “Audience of One,” “Team Jesus” and Child of the King” written in his Instagram bio.
For his ninth year in the NFL, Simmons was traded to the Atlanta Falcons.
“A lot can be said…but I’ve always been one to have my actions speak for themselves. God, you will get my best,” he shared in a post on Instagram in his Falcons uniform.
After one terrible practice where Simmons acted completely out of character, he called his girlfriend, who led him to Christ over the phone. Since that moment, Simmons has devoted each day to serving the Lord.
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