The Cleveland Browns have been in the news their fair share because they recently traded Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett, have a full-blown quarterback competition going on this offseason and, yes, they fired Kevin Stefanski and hired Todd Monken as their new coach. But here’s a story that also deserves the Browns getting attention:
Their players are openly dedicating their lives to God and Jesus Christ.
Members of the club on Sunday hosted a Cleveland for Christ event with multiple players showing up and getting baptized.
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The Christian faith-based gathering featured worship music, testimonies, prayer and baptisms.
The event included quarterback Shedeur Sanders, running back Raheim Sanders, cornerback Tyson Campbell, safety Daniel Thomas and of course, team chaplain Nobles C. Darby among others. It brought together some members of the local community and Browns players for a time of praise, worship and fellowship.
Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders responds to a question during a news conference after an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens in Cleveland, Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Several Browns players took the opportunity to seal their public dedication to Christ by choosing to be baptized at the event. Among those was linebacker Carson Schwesinger, a second-round pick a year ago who was the NFL’s Defensive Rookie of the Year.
And look, this isn’t for everyone.
If you think God cannot accept you as pure and washed of sin after you’ve come to Christ, then feel free to live in your unbelief. If you see this as somehow wrong because it was done publicly, perhaps you should read Matthew 32-33 and Luke 8-9.
“Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven,” the verses read in the Book of Matthew. “But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.”
Carson Schwesinger of the Cleveland Browns is introduced before a game against the Buffalo Bills at Huntington Bank Field in Cleveland, Ohio, on Dec. 21, 2025. (Nick Cammett/Diamond Images)
Schwesinger did indeed acknowledge Christ publicly.
He was asked if he believes Christ died a sacrifice on the cross and rose again — thereby taking all of Schwesinger’s sins.
“Yes,” Schwesinger said.
The player was then asked if he was ready to make Jesus the Lord of his life.
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“Yes,” Schwesinger responded.
With that he was saved, born again, and soon he was underwater for his baptism.
And now a word to the critics:
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The NFL shield logo on the field at SoFi Stadium on Nov. 25, 2024 in Inglewood, California. (Kirby Lee/magn Images)
The NFL in general, and society as a whole, have major problems in 2026. This isn’t one of them.
Every day on this Earth, children are abused. Women are abused. People are robbed, assaulted and cheated. Those are problems.
NFL players devoting themselves to God doesn’t address those problems in a macro sense. But it certainly is better than players hitting their girlfriends, or speeding 100 mph down the street, or wasting their money in strip clubs while drowning in lust.
This is supposed to settle sin problems and life issues in the micro sense for the individual players.
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One more thing: None of this was about players praying for the Browns to win games, and rise from the struggles they’ve mostly encountered as a franchise for years.
But it cannot hurt because God is an awesome teammate.
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