This story appears in FCA Magazine’s September/October 2015 issue. Subscribe today!
Seattle. Indianapolis. Seattle. Houston. Jacksonville. Baltimore.
It’s an itinerary that would wear out the most seasoned airline pilot, much less Justin Forsett, a talented NFL running back weighed down by the dreaded “too small” label for much of his early career. Team after team either passed on him or never gave him much of a chance. After an injury in 2013, even the 4-12 Jaguars parted ways with Forsett, opting instead to play a converted quarterback in the backfield.
The continual lack of respect and recognition reminded Forsett of the story of the Prodigal Son—but not the main character.
“I felt like I was the older son,” he said. “I did things the right way. I was going to church, witnessing to my teammates and other people, sharing life with them … but to look around and see other guys getting the opportunities I wanted and felt I deserved—man, it was tough.
“It taught me an important lesson: Never let your expectations interfere with the experiences God wants you to have.”
A month later, Forsett signed with the Baltimore Ravens, his sixth move in as many NFL seasons. This time, he had a singular goal in mind: give God the glory. Football would take care of itself. He wanted to learn that he “could use each situation I’d found myself in for His good, whether I was fourth on the depth chart or in the starting lineup.”
As it turned out, the starting lineup was exactly where Forsett was headed.
• • •
When the Ravens signed Forsett to a one-year deal in April 2014, they probably didn’t fully realize just how much they would need him.
Ray Rice—the team’s star running back since 2009—was in the midst of severe legal trouble, which eventually got him released by Baltimore and suspended indefinitely from the NFL. Bernard Pierce, the team’s younger starter-in-waiting, struggled with injuries and, after the 2014 season, some legal issues of his own.
Justin Forsett’s time had come. And he was ready.
Despite his relative inexperience as a 28-year-old first-time starter, it hardly showed. Forsett scored eight touchdowns for the playoff-bound Ravens, leading the league with 5.4 yards per carry.
“We were fortunate,” Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome said, “because Justin became such a vital part of our on-field success and quickly became a steadying influence in the locker room at an uneasy time for us. He gave us more than we anticipated.”
Forsett’s success came as a pleasant surprise to many within the organization, but not to team chaplain Johnny Shelton.
“When I think of Justin, I think of the book of Genesis, the story of Abraham and Sarah and their faithfulness to believe God for their son,” said Shelton, who also serves as an FCA volunteer. “Justin believed God was going to show him favor, and he would someday be a starting running back in the NFL.”
In his first season with the Ravens in 2014, Forsett led the
NFL with 5.4 yards per carry and was named to his first Pro Bowl.
This past March, the Ravens cemented their relationship with Forsett, inking their late-blooming star to a three-year deal worth $9 million. At last, Forsett had found a home and stability within the NFL.
“He earned his new contract,” Newsome said. “Justin is a tremendous leader by example. He’s truly a success story, and we’re happy he’ll continue that with us.”
The new contract gave Forsett and his growing family (he and his wife, Angela, have two sons, Judah and Zion) some added financial security. It also allowed him to continue developing deep, spiritual relationships with his Ravens teammates and coaches, including head coach John Harbaugh and running backs coach Thomas Hammock.
Forsett called Harbaugh “unbelievable” in his faith, recounting a story of the Super Bowl-winning coach leading a post-practice prayer for a group of kids in attendance, all of whom were battling cancer.
“I’ve been places where that would never happen,” Forsett said, “but Coach Harbaugh has an unashamed might that he lives out on a daily basis. No matter where he is, he uses his platform to make an impact for Christ. It’s awesome to see.”
• • •
The son of a pastor, Forsett has always been aware of his worth in Christ, but it wasn’t until middle school that he found a true relationship with Him.
“My dad pastored a church for years, so I was there all the time,” Forsett said. “I was kind of like a chameleon, though. I would act one way at home and church, but change the way I talked and dressed so I’d fit in at school. I just got tired of it, and I began to really listen about God, how He could change my life and use me to do His work.
“To hear all of that, it made me want it and everything I was hearing about Him. From that day on, my life was changed.”
Bringing It Home: Hard Work and Dreams
By Justin Forsett
As a player who's faced adversity time and time again, I always enjoy the opportunity to share my experiences. Read more
After his family moved from Florida to Texas during his sophomore year of high school, Forsett rushed for almost 5,000 yards and 63 touchdowns for two-time state champion Arlington Grace Prep. He accepted a scholarship to California, where he saw limited playing time behind future NFL running backs J.J. Arrington and Marshawn Lynch.
But, in a foreshadowing of his future NFL career, Forsett finally got his chance at a starting role during his senior season, finishing the year with more than 1,500 yards and first-team All Pac-10 honors. That was enough for the Seattle Seahawks to draft him in the seventh round of the 2008 NFL Draft.
And so began the roller-coaster ride.
Forsett bounced from the Seahawks to the Indianapolis Colts and back to the Seahawks all within a couple months of his first season. He saw mainly spot duty over the next three years in Seattle, totaling 1,287 yards and seven touchdowns before signing with the Houston Texans in June 2012.
A year after that, it was off to the Jacksonville Jaguars, a team that hadn’t posted a winning record since 2007. The 2013 season, Forsett said, “was one of the darkest moments of my life.” But it was a season that forever changed the course of his spiritual journey. While he was languishing on the depths of the Jaguars roster, never receiving more than two carries in any game, Forsett refocused on the importance of giving everything he had to God.
“I was at the bottom of the depth chart, and then spent time on injured reserve,” he said. “I just felt so undervalued and underappreciated. Because of that, I had a lot of idols in my heart and a lot of things I needed His help with, both spiritually and mentally. It was tough, but God took me to a place where I just had to surrender everything to Him.
“It helped make me who I am today. Once I got my chance, I knew I didn’t want to let it go. I just wanted to run with it.”
NFL stardom comes with a laundry list of potential distractions, but Forsett said the years he spent at the end of the bench, fighting for a roster spot, continue to help him keep his priorities in line—faith, family, and then football.
“I spent so many days training by myself or sitting in a locker room, without the coaches believing in me or a single reporter wanting to talk to me,” he said. “In those times, it was just me and God talking.
“Because of that, even when things are going well, I just hold tight to the fact that He’s always with me, and everything I have is because of Him. It’s not my might, but His.”
Still, temptations do exist, so Forsett takes deliberate steps to avoid straying from God’s game plan.
“First Corinthians 15:33 says, ‘Bad company corrupts good character,’” he said. “I want to make sure I’m always surrounded by good counsel.
“With everything going on in the world, the opportunities to have Bible study [and pregame chapel] are huge. As a professional athlete and a Christian, there are a lot of things that can get thrown at you, so you have to stay sharp and always be ready.”
Those things, Forsett said with a laugh, include lots of dirty diapers. In February, he and Angela welcomed their second son, Zion. Forsett’s sons are daily reminders of Christ’s unending love for His children.
“Just to think about how my kids depend on Angela and me for everything, it warms my heart and puts a smile on my face,” he said. “There’s nothing Judah and Zion can do that would separate them from me, and to know God loves me like that, it’s just amazing.”
“It’s evident that Justin is a follower of Christ, and others see and respect that. His heart is to show Christ to his teammates by the way he lives as a husband, father and teammate.”
-Baltimore Ravens Chaplain/FCA volunteer Johnny Shelton
Forsett’s future appears more secure than ever before, but he plans to hold tight to Proverbs 3:5-6—verses that have grown in significance through the good and bad times.
“The Bible says to trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, to submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight,” Forsett said. “After I left Jacksonville, I didn’t know if I was even going to play again, so I’m just extremely thankful to be able to play for the Ravens and do what I love.
“If I was the man I was when I started out in football, I don’t know how I would have received this opportunity with Baltimore. I just appreciate things so much more now.”
• • •
In his spare time, Forsett loves to speak at FCA banquets and participate in as many of the ministry’s events and sports camps as possible, since he missed out on those opportunities while he was in school. Although he didn’t take part in the activities in his younger days, FCA’s online component actually played a huge role in helping shape Forsett’s faith.
“As a young believer, it definitely impacted my life,” Forsett said. “I was able to visit the website, learn what ‘The Competitor’s Creed’ was all about, and read stories about other athletes like me and their faith.
“I needed that, because early on I didn’t have a lot of people like that in my life. I try to put myself out there for the kids and athletes who are in the same position I once was.”
That’s something that’s key to FCA’s mission of changing the world for Christ through sports. Shelton believes athletes like Forsett can have a huge impact on today’s athletic world.
“It’s very important for athletes to share their faith,” Shelton said. “The influence of athletes stretches far and wide and breaks down all geographic, color, social and economic barriers. The world wants to hear what athletes like Justin have to say, so when he mentions that he has a relationship with Jesus, it’s huge because people will explore who Jesus is just because guys like Justin mention Him.”
Forsett blogs regularly at justinforsett.sportsblog.com. Through his Twitter account, @jforsett, he sends encouraging messages and nightly Bible verses to more than 58,000 followers. Shelton isn’t surprised at the running back’s boldness; it was like this even before his on-field role with the team drastically increased.
“Every chaplain loves a player of Justin’s faith, because he’s an extension of the chaplain inside the locker room,” Shelton said. “Through it all, Justin continues to be the same guy he was when he came in the door in 2014.
“It’s evident that Justin is a follower of Christ, and others see and respect that. His heart is to show Christ to his teammates by the way he lives as a husband, father and teammate.”
Forsett’s boldness and leadership have reverberated so strongly within the Ravens organization that Harbaugh said he could see his starting running back joining him in the coaching ranks after retirement—if God doesn’t send him down another path.
“Justin’s smart, he's got great character, and he relates well to people,” Harbaugh said. “I think he'll probably go into the ministry and be a pastor of some huge megachurch, but he’d be great with the players. I wouldn't bet against him getting into coaching.
“He’s a man of great faith, and if you’ve read any of the things he has written, you’ll see he’s a very deep thinker. We’re just very fortunate—fortunate is not the word I’d use—just very blessed to have him on board.”
Through it all, no matter where Forsett’s faith, football or family life take him, the former NFL journeyman says that the calmness he feels comes from knowing Christ will always be with him. And that means more than anything. It’s also the message he wants FCA Magazine readers—both believers and seekers alike—to hear loud and clear.
“God is the most important thing in my life,” Forsett said. “I can go through life—with all of its ups and downs—and have a peace about it. I know He has a plan and purpose for me, and He wants to use me.
“God wants to use you. He has a plan and purpose for you too. You are of great value to Him.”
Bringing It Home: Hard Work and Dreams
By Justin Forsett
Ready:
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; think about Him in all your ways, and He will guide you on the right paths.” – Proverbs 3:5-6
Set:
As a player who’s faced adversity time and time again, I always enjoy the opportunity to share my experiences.
Keeping my focus on Christ is all about endurance and perseverance. You’re going to get knocked down, but you have to have the ability to get up. Even in high school, I took some heavy hits. I was all set to go to Notre Dame, but then they called me right before Signing Day and told me they were going with two other (bigger) running backs instead.
That set the stage for how I would handle adversity throughout my career.
When it happened, I cried out to God for answers. I literally flipped open my Bible and landed on Proverbs 3:5-6. That became a turning point for me in navigating the rough waters of hard work and dreams.
Now, I try to make sure everything I do is for God and His glory. Last season, I got a great opportunity with the Ravens and did my best to make the most of it. Even though I recently signed a new three-year contract, I’m not taking it for granted.
I’m just as hungry now as when I started in the NFL, when teams told me I was too short and too slow. Now, they say I’m too old. There’s always something I have to face, but I’m ready for the challenge.
Here’s what you have to do. Play with purpose, and live with purpose. Football, at the end of the day, is a game. People will forget your stats and your touchdowns, so every day try to live in such a way that people remember your legacy and who you really are.
No matter what’s in front of you, God will never give you more than you can handle. Use the trials and tribulations you’re facing to draw closer to Him.
And if you don’t have a relationship with Christ? Think hard about what you’re really chasing in life and where you find your self-worth. Then give up those idols and make the choice to follow Him. That’s when I finally found peace, and I think you will too.
Go:
• Where do you find self-worth? In your stats and playing time, or in relationships?
• How do you react when you get knocked down?
• What’s holding you back from giving everything in your life to Christ?
Workout:
• Romans 8:28
• 1 Corinthians 9:24-27
• 1 Corinthians 15:33
Overtime:
Lord, I thank you for who You are and all Your blessings. I pray You would use me as an open vessel to do Your work. I pray I'm a person of impact, that every time people see me, they see You. Give me strength where I'm weak and a peace that surpasses all understanding. I pray Your name be glorified. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
-FCA-
–This article appears in the September/October 2015 issue of FCA Magazine. To view the issue digitally, click here: September/October 2015 FCA Mag Digital
–Want FCA Magazine in your home or business? Subscribe here: fca.org/orderthemag
–For daily faith and sports content follow @FCAMag on Twitter (www.twitter.com/fcamag) and “Like” FCA Magazine on Facebook (www.facebook.com/fcamag).
Photos courtesy of Baltimore Ravens/Phil Hoffmann