Louisiana State University quarterback Jayden Daniels credited God as he accepted college football’s top award earlier this month.
“He’s my rock, my Savior,” said the 2023 Heisman Trophy winner in his Dec. 9 acceptance speech.
“He blessed me with the talents and ability to get here, all the special people here to develop these skills.”
Daniels, who recently turned 23, is a transfer student from Arizona State, where he played football for three seasons and earned a degree.
Rather than entering the NFL draft after graduation, he traveled across the country to play for two years in the high-powered Southeastern Conference (SEC).
Daniels, who is outspoken about his Christian faith, has overcome injuries, on-field disappointments and personal loss. He is thankful to God, his family, teammates and team personnel for never giving up on him through the seasons he has encountered athletically and spiritually.
Daniels beat out University of Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. in the Heisman voting. He led the LSU Tigers to a 9-3 record with 50 touchdowns in 2023.
He ended the year with the highest passer rating in FBS history and was the first player to achieve at least 350 yards passing and 200 yards rushing in a game.
Daniels, whose father was a college cornerback, was deemed lanky in high school. As a result, he was seen by two doctors to get approval to play football, according to Yahoo! Sports.
But his speed, agility and accurate footwork helped him succeed on the field.
As Daniels finished his final three years at Arizona State, he struggled both on and off the field. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, both of his paternal grandparents died from the disease in March 2021.
The COVID-19 restrictions prevented Daniels from saying goodbye in person to his grandfather, who played a crucial role in his football career from a young age, as he would bring him to practice as a child.
On Instagram, Daniels called his grandfather “my best friend.”
Being raised in the church did not mean that Daniels wouldn’t face adversity in his walk with God in college. The athlete struggled with his faith during his collegiate years, primarily after moving to LSU.
However, he formed a special bond with LSU player relations manager Sherman Wilson, who helped edify and uplift Daniels in his faith.
“He’s behind the scenes, but he’s like my right-hand man,” Daniels told LSUSports.Net in November about Wilson.
“Being around him, I kind of got back into my faith more, always giving glory to God. He died on the cross for us; anything is possible with him. Coming back out here, trying to figure out my life, I wanted to stop trying to put so much pressure on me and just give everything to God, letting Him take care of it.”
Daniels has learned not to “worry about things I can’t control” and to have hope in “God’s plan with everything.”
“God has prepared me for this. He doesn’t give anything to anybody that he knows they can’t handle. To whom much is given, much is required.”
Nicole Alcindor is a reporter for The Christian Post.
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