NFL broadcaster James Brown speaks about life, work led by God’s desires

Acclaimed sports broadcaster James Brown described to Liberty University students how to make God the foundation of their daily life while allowing their faith to shine through their work during Friday morning’s Convocation, in which he spoke with Campus Pastor Jonathan Falwell in a Q&A format.

Brown is the current host of “The NFL Today” on CBS and “Inside The NFL” on Showtime. A three-time Emmy Award-winning network sportscaster, Brown has hosted the Super Bowl a record setting 10 times. In recognition of his ongoing career that has spanned nearly 35 years, Brown was inducted into the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame in August 2020.

After briefly acknowledging the thrilling outcome of last Sunday’s Super Bowl, in which both starting quarterbacks (Patrick Mahomes and Jalen Hurts) and other players are outspoken Christians, Brown explained how he was once an athlete aspiring for the highest level of play as an NBA draft pick. Brown was selected by the Atlanta Hawks in 1973 but did not make the roster, which he attributed to his own failure to continue pushing himself to grow stronger as a player and then related to the importance of daily growing in Christ.

“I was hoping to enjoy a lengthy NBA career, but the experience I had that really set me on a course of what I’m doing now (in broadcasting) was one of failure,” Brown said. “I did not make the team, not because of a lack of talent, but I did not work as hard to stay on top as I did to get to the top. We are to daily be in the Word the same as we are daily to be practicing.”

Prior to Convocation, Brown spoke briefly with members of the Flames Football team and relayed his encouragement for them to sharpen their faith daily just as they strive for greatness in their performance on the field.

Brown puts this practice into action every day, he explained, by asking God each morning what He wants him to do with his life and work that day. He added that life scripture is Colossians 3:23, which says “Everything that I do I do heartily to the Lord, and not unto man.”

“My ‘boss’ is Christ. I don’t compartmentalize my faith, my faith is the foundation, it is essential to everything that I do,” he said. “I may be compelled or disciplined to have a list of things to do, but I always ask Him, ‘What are the priorities?’ At the end of the day, if I’ve accomplished everything (on my list) but I feel exhausted and I don’t feel fulfilled in that I didn’t follow what His leading was, then it’s all about me. As opposed to reacting, I want to respond to the leading of the Holy Spirit in doing such.”

Relating to the sport of football, in which an offense gathers in a huddle before each snap to decide on a play that will best attack the weaknesses of the opponent, Brown said that the play-caller of a Christian’s life needs to be God.

“In the game of life, our play comes in from the coach who sits high and looks low, he sees the entire field of our lives,” he said. “The huddle can be in choir practice, it can be in Bible study, it can be Sunday (church), but God gives us a customized, personalized play to run in our lives because the challenges we faced last week may not be the same ones this week. If we are paying attention and listening acutely to the leading and guiding of the Holy Spirit, He will guide us right.”

Falwell and Brown mentioned the incident involving Buffalo Bills cornerback Damar Hamlin going into cardiac arrest during a Monday Night Football game last month, a scene in which a massive national audience saw players and coaches from both sides praying for Hamlin. The morning after, one of the hosts of ESPN’s NFL Live Dan Orlovsky prayed for Hamlin live on the air. Brown explained that both instances were examples of how to be unashamed of one’s faith, even when it is on a large public platform and can lead to persecution.

“There are decision points that each of us has to make in life where we are going to make it clear who we follow,” he said. “We need to be crystal clear, and Dan Orlovsky did that. I believe that we all have a God-sized hole that can only be filled by Him. Yes, I am going to be persecuted as well, and I have been, but (Scripture) says to consider it all joy when that happens. I have the peace of God that I am doing the right thing, and I want to continue to do that no matter what.”

Brown added that he has been asked on multiple occasions to speak about timely issues of political and/or social unrest while on the air, and he explained that his approach is to lead with God’s love.

“We’ve got this wide chasm, this deep divide in society,” Brown said about modern society. “People are not talking with each other; they’re yelling and shouting vitriol at each other. When I’ve been asked to speak about that, in every commentary that I close, I close with the answer is love, agape love. We’ve got to be clear and not be ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Jesus leads, as we are (to do) too, with love.”

In the last moments, before closing Convocation in prayer, Brown said that he believes the current generation of college students, including those at Liberty and the ongoing revival in Asbury University, will be the ones to rise up in faith and make waves in today’s culture for God.

“Some of the best ‘public relations agents’ I’ve seen for Liberty University and for God are young people,” he said.