Heisman Winner Jayden Daniels Declares Jesus ‘Is My Rock, My Savior’
By Movieguide® Contributor
Louisiana State University quarterback Jayden Daniels just won the 2023 Heisman Trophy and gave God all the glory.
“Thank you. This is a dream come true. I want to first give thanks to God, for all the glory. He’s my rock, my savior. He blessed me with the talents and ability to get here, all the special people here to develop these skills,” Daniels began. “To Bo, Mike, Marvin…you guys are amazing. I enjoy watching you all but the competition is never over. I look forward to seeing you guys on Sundays.”
Daniels credits LSU player relations manager Sherman Wilson for helping him grow in his faith.
“He’s behind the scenes, but he’s like my right-hand man,” Daniels said of Wilson in a November interview. “Being around him brought me back to my faith even more and helped me always give glory to God. He died on the cross for us. With God, anything is possible. Here, coming back and trying to figure out my life, I wanted to stop putting so much pressure on myself and just give it all to God and let Him take charge.”
The quarterback also thanked his mom and dad for their impact on his life.
“You taught me how to play, lead and stay calm in any situation,” he told his father.
“You’ve always had my best interest from day one,” he said to his mother. “And you showed me that tough love when I needed it. You instilled in me the hard work spirit that got me here…I graduated in three years because you inspired me to do it.”
Daniels also left younger athletes with some advice.
“Being a college athlete and winning this award has been a dream come true. I want to dedicate this award to every boy and girl who has a dream or faith. With hard work, you never know what’s possible,” he explained. “They said I was too skinny, so I had to wait. Then they said I relied on my legs a little bit too much, so I went to work, completed all those passes, had the season I had. They said I was too quiet, so I became more vocal. I stepped out of my comfort zone, and now I’m here today.”
Daniels shared his award on his social media. He captioned the photo, “Forever blessed,” and added Jeremiah 29:11, which reads, “’For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’”
“Daniels received 503 first-place votes and 2,029 total points, beating out Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr., Oregon quarterback Bo Nix, and Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. to win the honor of this year’s most outstanding player,” Yahoo! Sports reported.
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