“Jesus saved me from a life of sin”: Indianapolis Colts Safety Khari Willis gives a promising NFL career up to pursue god and become a Minister
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Khari Willis
Becoming an NFL player is a dream for millions of people, out of these million dreamers, only a thousand of them have the necessary talent needed to make it in the league but in the end, only 10 of them end up getting drafted and make it to the league as not everyone has the necessary work ethic to go along with their talent. So it is a blessing to just be drafted and get a chance to play in the NFL but what if you end up feeling like this is a curse and decide to leave millions of dollars on the table to walk away and follow a life preaching the word and the message of the lord.
This is exactly what the Indianapolis Colts Safety Khari Willis has done. The defensive player was about to enter his fourth season in the league but he ended up getting a higher calling which he could not help but give into. The safety retired at 26 years of age, just as he was about to enter his prime. Let us see what led to him making such a decision.
“I’ve tried to do both but I had to follow that voice”: Khari Willis is more interested in serving the Lord than playing football
Khari Willis states a situation that led him to walk away from a career filled with fame and comfort to a life that is the exact opposite, ” Two years ago, I was in one of the darkest places in my life and Jesus came and spoke to my heart and saved me and delivered from a life of sin and ever since then, I have been seeking and searching for what his will is for my life and what direction he wanted me to go in,” Willis states.
He goes on to add that he thought about this a lot and even spoke to multiple people about it. There was just a feeling within him that made him feel that maybe football was not his ultimate purpose, he was meant to do something different. Willis attempted to silence this voice by managing both his athletic career as well as his religious endeavors but as we know there is no such thing as a part-time NFL player, Willis could not do both after a point. He decided that it was time for him to make a decision and he chose the path that gave him the most peace internally.
“God led me through much prayer, much thought, and much counsel to walk away (from football). I felt very confident in the decision that God was leading me in,” Khari added. As is normal for the common man to understand such a decision, Willis believes that “You have to taste it and see it in order to understand where I’m coming from.” The Safety wants to spend the prime of his life spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ from now onwards and he wants to give the Lord his all when he can.
He released a statement expressing his gratitude towards the Colts organization, “I’d first like to thank the Indianapolis Colts organization for granting me the opportunity to compete in the National Football League the past three years. I’ve built lifelong relationships with numerous teammates, coaches, and support staff that have impacted me greatly. The lessons I’ve learned in this phase of my life will be valuable for me in my next chapter. I have elected to officially retire from the NFL as I endeavor to devote the remainder of my life to the further advancement of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I thank all of my family, friends, and those who have supported me on this journey thus far and I look forward to your continued support through the next phase of my life.”
Willis played in 39 games for the Colts recording 219 tackles, 4 INTs, a TD, and 3.5 sacks through the course of his career. He was selected in 2019 in the fourth round out of Michigan State. The Colts Head Coach Frank Reich wished him well for all of his future endeavors.
“We’re thankful and appreciative of Khari’s contributions to the Colts both on and off the field over the last three seasons, Khari’s character, leadership, and professionalism will be missed in our locker room as well as his play on Sunday. I admire and respect his decision to transition into the next stage of his life and ministry and my prayers will always be with him,” Coach Reich stated.
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Sumedh Joshi
(2235 Articles Published)