After the NFL wildcard round playoff game between the Houston Texans and the Cleveland Browns, rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud, in a postgame interview on NBC’s Sunday Night Football, openly praised Jesus Christ after the team’s dominant 45-14 victory. Stroud expressed his gratitude to his “Lord and Savior” and highlighted his blessings.
“First of all, I just want to give all glory and praise to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,” Stroud said. “I mean, it’s been amazing being in this city for as short as I’ve been but the love that I’ve got. I’ve really just been doing it for Houston, man. The people back home, I’m blessed enough to be in the position that I’m in and blessed enough to be playing at a high level right now. We gotta just keep it going, but I’m super blessed.”
However, following this interview, controversy ensued as NBC posted Stroud’s remarks but purposefully edited out his opening sentence where he thanked Jesus Christ. The move did not go unnoticed, and fans took to the comment section to question NBC’s decision, expressing disappointment in the deliberate exclusion of his religious comments.
It is not a rare occurrence for professional athletes to praise God and make religious comments following a game win. However, in this particular instance, NBC omitted these remarks without any explanation.
Former NFL quarterback Donovan McNabb condemned NBC’s choice on his podcast, The Five Spot, calling it “very lame” and stressing that such expressions of faith are essential for fans who want to connect with the players. McNabb suggested that NBC had created a situation that they now needed to address.
“To cut it out and be a media outlet that’s focusing on the game interviewing these players, the fans want to feel as one with the player,” McNabb said. “And when they hear a player talk, they break down everything that young man says — and young woman. … I just think, for NBC, they stuck their foot in a hole at this particular point. They gotta get themselves out.”
