Faith & Football – Matt Birk, Baltimore Ravens

Love from St. Paul Minnesota …Thank you Matt for being a role model for my son.  Meeting you at the Boys and Girls club had a big impact on him.  You showed him that a kid from St. Paul can go places with hard work.. and that it all starts in the classroom.  It is still a struggle and a challenge for him…and for us as parents, to see this young athlete struggle so much with the academics… I am going to share this video with him, to remind him… his road may be rocky, he has to work super extra hard just to make it through high school… he is so passionate about the game and wants to play for as long as he can.  It is truly a gift to hear you speak in this video about your faith and I thank you SO much for sharing it.. I want my son to know that God makes all things possible… not only is it important to show up for school… it is even more important to show up for God.. to let him in our lives.. and to do HIS work…   I must tell you, that my son was really impressed with your “Dad” duties, as much as it scares me, he loves kids and wants to be a dad… so to see you in person, in shorts and a t shirt, being a real person…. who just happens to be playing his favorite game… brought it to life right in front of him.  My young son looked up to you that day, and not just because he is only 5′ 6″… but because on that day.. you represented the NFL in a way that he had never seen before… just being a real guy, with real kids, in a real neighborhood.. who just happens to be getting a paycheck for playing a game..  Thanks Matt for giving us Viking fans something else to cheer for… we always cheer for you, Michael Oher, and the Ravens…but we ALWAYS miss seeing you on the home team.