Steven Johnson Jr. - A Walk in Our Cleats: 25 Athletes Who Never Gave Up

CONTENTS

CONTENTS

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Steven Johnson Jr. is an American football linebacker who has played seven seasons in the National Football League. He is also the CEO and founder of the Faith Motivated Foundation, a charity designed to empower youth by demonstrating how to set and achieve goals while also seeking to educate and model a healthy lifestyle by motivating good choices through Christ. Steven has overcome insurmountable odds his entire life. He is the definition of diligence, patience, and perseverance. Check out the Faith Motivated Foundation at www.faithmotivated.org

Paul Cartwright and his wife, Fay, are co-owners of Sports Celebrity Marketing, S.C.M. Inc. As sports fans and believers in Jesus Christ, this book became an exciting family undertaking. Paul was honored to write about the grace that God has given to these elite athletes to use their sport as a platform. Sports Celebrity Marketing, S.C.M. Inc. is a full-service sports agency doing business in both the United States and Canada. Its roster includes personalities from all major sports, including baseball, hockey, football, and more.

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@SMJ2852 Man, I look at you in the mirror every day! Ima your biggest Fan and your toughest Critic. I see you happy. I watch you cry. You work so hard, and Im in it with you. YOU WILL MAKE IT!!!! Keep being a role model on and off the field! God is so proud of you! Just keep proving them wrong!

A lot of people were probably surprised to see me in a Denver Broncos uniform in 2012. No college wanted me out of high school. No NFL team drafted me when my collegiate career was over. But I never stopped believing in myself and trusting God.

Now Ive played more than six seasons alongside the best athletes in the world. My path to the pros wasnt typical. It was filled with disappointment. I had to overcome injuries and disbelief. But I made it by holding on to my faith. Thats my message: Stay Faith Motivated. Thats MY motto. Its what I always tell people. Even when you dont see a way out, God can help you overcome any challenge you face, even when it seems impossible!

Dont believe me?

Then you need to hear my story.

No room. No scholarship. No money.

Thats probably not what you picture when you think about the life of a Division I football player. But that was my reality when I woke up on a stifling hot day in Lawrence, Kansas, during the summer of 2009.

Chris Harris Jr. and Darrell Stuckey, two of my teammates at the University of Kansas, were already gone for the day. I was thankful theyd allowed me to sleep on their couch. But it was starting to get tougher to accept my situation, because Ive never been the mooching type. Their house was several miles from campus, but they were letting me stay for free. And at the time, I didnt have a dollar to my name.

I lifted my 6'1'', 230-pound frame off the couch and stretched. Practice was in a couple hours. I couldnt be late. No one was picking up their phones, and a bus pass was out of reach. So I grabbed my bag and started walking.

It was about ninety-five degrees that day. Youve probably heard the saying, Its not the heat; its the humidity. In Lawrence, the heat and the humidity worked together to make summers feel like a sauna. As soon as I walked outside, the air just smacked me in the face. But I was not about to miss practice. I knew God had given me the opportunity to play at one of the best up-and-coming programs in the country. So, step after step, I trekked the several miles to the practice facility. After all Ive fought through to get here, I thought, man, this is nothing.

MOTIVATED

I began playing football as a five-year-old. From the start, I excelled at the game. I earned all-star honors and was frequently named MVP of my team. Other than my dad, my grandfather was my biggest fan. He encouraged me to believe in myself. He was the first person to tell me I could play in the NFL if I worked hard and stayed on the right path. Yeah, Joseph Wootson was a huge part of my life growing up in Media, Pennsylvania. I called him Pop Pop. Most Sundays after church were spent watching football with him. Id pretend to be Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Randall Cunningham by jumping over the couch with a football in my arms. Hed cheer me on.

Steven pretending to be an Eagle while his dad watched the game

Photo courtesy of Steven Johnson Jr.

My grandfather passed away before he saw my football dreams come true, and that hurts. He was a big reason I made it. He made me promise him that I would not smoke, would not drink, and would not turn to drugs for comfort at any time during my life. At the time I was only about eleven years old, but I promised him. Little did I know how much that promise would help me achieve my dream. And Ive kept that promise to my Pop Pop to this day.

Losing my grandfather wasnt the only heartache I experienced growing up. My parents divorced when I was only twelve. From that point on, my home life was unsettled. My mom, two younger brothers, and I moved five times throughout middle school and high school. All that moving and uncertainty took a toll on me. I started giving up a bit on my love for sports. I gained weight. By the time I got to high school, kids I had once dominated on the playing field started teasing me for being chubby and a slow runner. More than once I got into a fight to defend myself. I was frustrated at my circumstances and mad that I wasnt getting considered by the varsity coaches.

Steven on his childhood teams

Photo courtesy of Steven Johnson Jr.

I had more people telling me that I couldnt do something than people telling me that I could achieve my goals. Many nights Id come home crying and put my head on my mothers shoulder because I wasnt getting any playing time. I was working so hard. But at the end of the day, I felt like I was a failure. I felt like the coaches didnt like me. To be honest, they probably didnt. But God was faithful, and he showed up in his perfect time.

During the summer between my junior and senior years, one of my teammates invited me to a Bible study at the Abounding Grace Family Worship Center. Id known about that church before, but never really cared to go. After I attended for the first time, I never missed a Bible study every Wednesday night at seven oclock. Sometimes it was just me and two others from the whole church. But each time I went, I noticed I started to become more confident about my life. The peace I began to feel was amazing. That was when I gave my life to Christ fully and completely. Just like I promised my grandfather, I didnt turn to drugs, smoking, alcohol, or girlsI turned to God! Now dont get me wrong, I was nowhere near perfect. I made mistakes all the time. Nevertheless, my desire for God to be in my life at that time was so intentional. I was tired of being overlooked. I was tired of crying myself to sleep. I needed help.