Browns QB Colt McCoy Talks Faith in Frustration With Pastor Matt Carter
Cleveland Browns quarterback Colt McCoy recently sat down with Austin Stone Community Church pastor of preaching and vision Matt Carter, who McCoy has been visiting since his college days as a Texas Longhorn. The two discussed faith in times of trial and tribulation. In particular, they discussed McCoy's harrowing ordeal in the final game of his college career, and how his disappointment and anger affected his faith in Jesus Christ.
In 2010, the Texas Longhorns were completing for a National Championship against Alabama's Crimson Tide. Colt McCoy was the Longhorn's starring quarterback. This game was meant to be a culmination of his college career, a crowning triumph for his years of effort and hard work. He told Pastor Carter, "I had never gone into a game more prepared, more ready than that game."
However, for McCoy, that championship game was over as soon as it started. On his first drive, McCoy was taken down hard. He immediately left the field and headed to the locker room with his team's medical staff.
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"I didn't know if I was ever going to play again," McCoy told Carter. The star quarterback's injury was game-ending, he "couldn't feel anything from the neck down on the right side," and he couldn't "even do a shoulder shrug." McCoy was out for the whole game, and the Longhorns lost the championship.
Despite the disappointment, when interviewed after the game, the injured star gave glory to God while fighting back tears. Carter praised McCoy for his resolve and said he felt McCoy's post-game interview had a big impact.
"We've seen thousands of athletes give glory to God when they win, but . . . you gave glory to God when you lost," Carter said. "You came this close to your dreams and you didn't get them and yet you glorified God."
However, McCoy shared that when he could not play and had to watch his team lose a national championship, he was filled with frustration, and wondered why God would put this fate upon him. But, over time, McCoy saw that through this loss "God really showed me something."
"God said 'Don't ask me why. You lost a football game. Maybe that wakes you up … I didn't make you lose that game, but maybe I woke you up to realize that I'm the most important thing,'" as oppose to football being the most important thing, McCoy shared.
Being woken up in that manner had a positive outcome on the football player's life.
"What I learned was God has to be enough for me, Jesus has to be enough for me," he said. If football were to disappear tomorrow, McCoy revealed, he would be alright because God is enough for him. The quarterback added, "Up until [the injury], I don't think I could say [God was enough for me]. I can say that now. I believe it now."
While Colt McCoy's future with the Cleveland Browns might not be totally secure, as the Browns' performance last year was less than ideal, and rumors have been swirling that Cleveland is looking to pick up Packers backup Matt Flynn or ex-Colt Peyton Manning. Whatever the future holds, McCoy is confident he will be okay because he has God.
