The Challenge of Being a Non-Believer in the NFL
By Ken Reed
Arian Foster might just be the NFL’s most interesting man.
Foster is a different cat in the homogeneous NFL. And being different is always tough, especially in an industry that values conformity, like professional sports.
Foster is a thinker and he likes to speak about what he’s thinking about. That in and of itself makes him pretty unique in the NFL, where athletes that speak out on socio-cultural issues are quickly squashed by teammates, coaches, executives, or all three.
What makes Foster even more interesting is that what he often speaks out about are his beliefs as an atheist. This has led to him being ostracized on occasion throughout his football career.
“Everybody always says the same thing: You have to have faith,” says Foster.
“That’s my whole thing: Faith isn’t enough for me. For people who are struggling with that, they’re nervous about telling their families or afraid of the backlash … man, don’t be afraid to be you. I was, for years.”
Foster could be viewed as the anti-Tebow. Tim Tebow, now with the Philadelphia Eagles, has made waves throughout his career for his strong Christianity beliefs and actions. Tebow, while receiving scorn from some quarters, was generally praised for his outspoken public statements about his faith. The NFL has long been viewed as a “God and Country” league.
Foster is likely to meet much greater resistance than Tebow has due to his statements.
Nevertheless, the overarching point here is that both Tebow and Foster, and their views, should be met with tolerance in a free society in which the First Amendment is cherished.
Foster has taken a “live and let live” philosophy in recent years. He’s comfortable in his own skin and holds no ill will towards people of faith.
“If a loving, kind Christian, Muslim or Jewish person can’t accept a different vantage point, there’s just nothing I can do about it,” Foster says. “I have no ill will toward religion or religious people. I have no quarrels. Believe what you want to believe.”
Both Tebow and Foster have exhibited a lot of courage by being true to themselves and sharing their religious opinions.
It’s for that courage that both should be applauded.
— Ken Reed, Sports Policy Director, League of Fans.
Sports Forum Podcast
Episode #22 – League of Fans’ Sports Forum podcast: Rethinking Sports Fandom with Author Craig Calcaterra – We discuss Calcaterra’s new book “Rethinking Fandom: How to Beat the Sports-Industrial Complex at Its Own Game” and explore new ways to be a fan in the year 2022.
Listen on Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Anchor and others.
Follow on Facebook: @SportsForumPodcast
More Episodes on Apple Podcasts; Spotify; Google Podcasts; PocketCasts; & Anchor
Episode #21 – League of Fans’ Sports Forum podcast: Chatting About a Broken Game With Baseball Writer Pedro Moura – Moura is a national baseball writer for Fox Sports. We discuss how and why the game of baseball is broken, what factors caused it, and offer a few thoughts on how to “fix” a great game.
Episode #20 – League of Fans’ Sports Forum podcast: Coaching Youth and High School Sports Based On What’s Best for the Athlete’s Holistic Development – We chat with long-time youth, high school and college basketball coach Jim Huber.
Episode #19 – League of Fans’ Sports Forum podcast: Capturing the Spirit of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League with Anika Orrock – We discuss the hoops AAGPFL women had to jump through to play the game they loved as well as the long-term impact and legacy they have in advancing sports opportunities for girls and women.
Episode #18 – League of Fans’ Sports Forum podcast: Talking about the 50th Anniversary of Title IX and the Lia Thomas Controversy with Nancy Hogshead-Makar – Hogshead-Makar is a triple gold medalist in swimming, a civil rights attorney and CEO of Champion Women.
Episode #17 – League of Fans’ Sports Forum podcast: Talking Sports With Legendary New York Times Sports Columnist Robert Lipsyte – We chat about Lipsyte’s amazing career and some of the athletes he covered.
Media
"How We Can Save Sports" author Ken Reed appears on Fox & Friends to explain how there's "too much adult in youth sports."
Ken Reed appears on Mornings with Gail from KFKA Radio in Colorado to discuss bad parenting in youth athletics.
“Should College Athletes Be Paid?” Ken Reed on The Morning Show from Wisconsin Public Radio
Ken Reed appears on KGNU Community Radio in Colorado (at 02:30) to discuss equality in sports and Title IX.
Ken Reed appears on the Ralph Nader Radio Hour (at 38:35) to discuss his book The Sports Reformers: Working to Make the World of Sports a Better Place, and to talk about some current sports issues.
- League of Fans Sports Policy Director Ken Reed quoted in Washington Post column titled "What happened to P.E.? It’s losing ground in our push for academic improvement," by Jay Mathews
League of Fans is a sports reform project founded by Ralph Nader to fight for the higher principles of justice, fair play, equal opportunity and civil rights in sports; and to encourage safety and civic responsibility in sports industry and culture.
Sports & Torts – Ken Reed, Sports Policy Director, League of Fans – at the American Museum of Tort Law
Books