Johnny Shelton, chaplain to the Baltimore Ravens, gets to combine his two great loves: faith and football. According to his website, Shelton moved around a lot in the Midwest, but “there were two things that were consistent in my life; ‘SPORTS’ and ‘CHURCH.’” A self-described “late bloomer,” while his athletic abilities improved through high school and college, he realized his faith was far more shallow. However, by his junior year in college, when his “life spiraled out of control,” he decided to make Jesus the Lord of his life. After graduating, he played in the NFL as an undrafted free agent for the Atlanta Falcons, San Francisco 49er’s, Seattle Seahawks, and Los Angeles Raiders. After his time in the NFL, he worked in the corporate arena and then answered the call to serve in ministry by working for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA). After serving some time with the FCA, he eventually found his way to the Ravens in 2013. “Though my days as an athlete have passed, my passion to pour into the hearts of coaches and athletes so that they can be their very best has not. I enjoy being able to share the Love of Christ with them and also being able to look them in the eye and tell them what they NEED to hear instead of what they WANT to hear,” he wrote.

Speaking on the “Today” show, he shared about how he does a prayer walk before every practice. “I pray for [the team’s] safety, for their minds, their hearts to be clear, to be able to focus on the task at hand,” he said. He hosts Bible studies for coaches and players and extends his help for counseling. “Life is hard enough, and at the flip side of that, football is hard enough. So, when you put those two together, it’s just crazy,” he said. He also shared that he speaks to anyone, even those outside the Christian faith. “I’m here to love all. We’re not going to disciple everybody. We’re here to love them.,” he said. He also gets support from the other league chaplains, who meet on Zoom to discuss their needs. 

“Today’s” Savannah Sellers also spoke with two members of the team about their experiences with Shelton. Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey shared that he doesn’t often speak about football. “Football comes up occasionally, but it’s mainly just life…Even sometimes when it’s football, it’s more so just how could you have more of a leadership role,” he said. Assistant coach Anthony Weaver, who formerly played for the Ravens, stressed the importance of seeking help. “We’re football players. We assume we’re alphas. We can solve and figure out everything. And it’s not natural to turn to somebody for help and for guidance. [Shelton] makes that easy.”