Answering The Call | Faith & Football Interview with Jarvis Courtney Sr.

Football is more than a game.

Behind every helmet, every practice, every injury, every victory, and every setback is a story. A story of perseverance. A story of purpose. A story of faith.

At NFL Draft Diamonds, we have always believed in three core values: Faith, Football, and Family. Those values are the foundation of who we are, and now we are proud to launch a new series dedicated to sharing the powerful testimonies of the people who live them every day.

Welcome to Answering the Call.

This new platform gives football players, coaches, scouts, executives, and personnel from every level of the game an opportunity to openly share their journey with God. Through triumphs and trials, these stories will reveal how faith has guided them through some of life’s toughest moments and greatest blessings.

Football can inspire people, but faith transforms lives.

Our mission with Answering the Call is simple: to encourage others, spread hope, and share the Word of God through authentic conversations from members of the football community. Whether you are an athlete chasing your dreams, a parent supporting your child, or someone searching for purpose, we believe these testimonies will speak to your heart.

God calls each of us differently. This is where those stories are shared.

This is Answering the Call with Jarvis Courtney!

What was your family background and what early influences shaped your faith or worldview?

My family background is military my grandfather was a sergeant in the Marines, a few uncles in the army, And a cousin that was in the navy and a lil brother that’s in the army. 

And what early shaped my faith is that I’ve always believed in God because growing up in a church and getting baptized at a young age and also listening to my grandmother about God is the way and that I should always pray and talk to him for the things that I want in life. And that I should always have faith no matter the circumstances in life she said with God all things are possible. 

Was there a turning point or defining moment in your faith journey? If so, describe it.

There was a turning point in my life Moment of faith when my son who has autism had got really sick back in 2022 in he was in the hospital for a week and a half he had a sickness called RSV. It’s a Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Where it affects the nose, The throat And the lungs. It caused him not to be able to breathe on his own he was hooked up to all type of cords I’ll never forget crying nonstop asking God not to take my son away from me because he’s the reason why I live other than God himself. Each day I prayed and I watched those machines pump my son’s body to push oxygen through is lungs and man one night I cried holding my son telling him to take my air that I breathe and to give it to my son so he could live. I was willing to die so he could live I’ll never forget it but I knew with me having faith my son would pull through cuz I know my God I serve is powerful and that prayer changes things and the next day my son started to get better and better and better he started to eat cuz at first he had no energy at all but I asked God to renew my son’s strength and he did God kept my son. 

Another moment is when I went through depression for about five years I was by myself and I was dealing with anxiety panic attacks I was frightened and I fear nothing but I didn’t know what I was dealing with but man one night I cried out to God and I asked him if you are real send me a sign and everything that was in my room hung up pictures and all it all fell down and from that point on I knew that anywhere that I went I knew my God was with me and that I was never alone I was trying to throw in the towel for so long but God kept throwing it back he told me no you are my son you get your strength from me not the world so I follow God for the rest of my life. 

How does your faith shape your identity and daily life as a student-athlete?

My faith shapes my identity By being more patient with myself and others, How I view life, How I make better decisions in life, How I face challenges in my life. And when I face a storm in my life my faith is what gets me through it. And being a man of God and leading and guiding people towards God and leading them into the right direction. My identity is FAITH OVER FEAR. 

How have you used your faith to serve others or impact your community?

 I’ve always spread the word of God and I’ve always told my story and that when your facing a hardship in life to read psalms 91 that Bible scripture right there helped me get out of depression I would read it whenever I didn’t feel like myself or I felt like I was getting worried or anxious about something that wasn’t going to even happen. I always told people that look up to me or I’m my community that you have to walk by faith and not by sight. Because if your looking to walk by sight than that’s where you tend to get angry or cause you to get discouraged. But if your walking by faith it’s that your believing that it’s already done basically you praying on it and working towards and you have faith that God already answered your prayers without seeing results. 

What encouragement or advice would you share with others from your journey?

Never giving up always walking in your purpose no matter how hard it gets keep fighting keep believing keep trusting. Faith is when a train goes through a tunnel and it gets very dark you don’t try to jump off the train you sit and trust the engineer, Now do the same with God, whenever it gets dark in your life trust that God will get you to your destination.