NFL Coach Makes Bold Faith Statement with Bible Verse on Play Sheet
Faith is expressed in a variety of ways in the NFL – through touchdown celebrations, postgame interviews and social media posts – but one assistant coach recently found a unique way to put his faith on display while still calling the defense from the sideline.
Chris O’Leary, defensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Chargers, wrote “Psalm 139:14” on the back of his play sheet during last week’s preseason game against the San Francisco 49ers – putting the Bible verse in full view of television cameras each time they zoomed in on him on the edge of the field.
The verse was written by David thousands of years ago and is part of a chorus praising God for His intimate knowledge of humanity and His marvelous work in creation. It says simply, “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful.”
But on this football night, countless television viewers encountered God’s Word in an unlikely place.
It made an impact across social media.
“What a powerful reminder,” one person wrote.
“We need more of this!” another person wrote.
Still another person, apparently a fan of a rival team, joked, “I am finding it harder to hate the Chargers these days.”
O’Leary, 34, has enjoyed a rapid rise through the coaching ranks after playing at Indiana State. He served on the staff at Notre Dame from 2018 to 2023 before becoming safeties coach for the Chargers in 2024 and then defensive coordinator at Western Michigan last season. Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh brought him back to Los Angeles as defensive coordinator during the offseason.
His Instagram account reads, “Jesus Christ is my Savior.”
When he was introduced as the team’s new defensive coordinator last February, O’Leary opened his first news conference by pointing to his faith.
Photo Credit: ©NFLNetwork/ScreenCapture
Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
Listen to Michael's Podcast! He is the host of Crosswalk Talk, a podcast where he talks with Christian movie stars, musicians, directors, and more. Hear how famous Christian figures keep their faith a priority in Hollywood and discover the best Christian movies, books, television, and other entertainment. You can find Crosswalk Talk on LifeAudio.com, or subscribe on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an interview that will be sure to encourage your faith.
Originally published August 27, 2026.
