San Francisco 49ers Chaplain Prays for ‘Victory’ in Players’ Lives

Published: February 9, 2024

San Francisco 49ers Chaplain Prays for ‘Victory’ in Players’ Lives

By Movieguide® Contributor

San Fransisco 49ers and Golden State Warriors chaplain Earl Smith revealed what he prays for before each game.

“I’m just standing there, and I’m calling individual guys’ names out, just asking, ‘Lord, bring about your victory.’ Bring about your victory in this person’s life or in this particular situation,” Smith told Sports Spectrum. “And so, it’s no longer me looking at the game. It’s me looking at the guy and just saying, ‘I’m praying for victory for that guy, not victory for the game.'”

“I don’t believe God would really be interested in that except for the fact that you’re able to get on a platform from that victory and share His faith in such a way that you may lead others to understand who He is,” Smith continued. “So, from that perspective, I believe he is interested but from a human perspective, I pray for guys would be able to have victory.”

For more inspiring sports stories, check out Sports Spectrum.

Before becoming a chaplain for athletes, Smith ministered to others in correctional facilities.

Per Church Leaders, “In 1983, Pastor Earl Smith became chaplain at San Quentin, California’s oldest prison, at just 27 years old. Before then, he had been on a path of crime, drugs, and gangs himself—until an encounter with Jesus changed his life.”

He said, “The reality is: Once you have a true encounter with the Lord, you’re not the same.”

As a correctional chaplain, he provided spiritual counsel to those on death row.

“On April 21, 1992, Chaplain Smith served as the Lead Chaplain/ Spiritual Advisor to Robert Alton Harris. Robert was the first person executed in California since 1976. Being directly involved in the years, months, and days leading up to the execution, Chaplain Smith came away with some profound thoughts on the plight of the condemned; the need for ministry to the family members of the victims; and the need for pre and post spiritual counseling for the staff members assigned the task of carrying out the execution,” Smith’s website reads.

He wrote “Death Row Chaplain: Unbelievable True Stories From America’s Most Notorious Prison,” which details his time at San Quentin, one of America’s most feared prisons.