Two rising NFL stars are giving credit not to their own talent or preparation, but to the God they say made it all possible. New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye and Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba openly thanked the Lord after leading their teams to Super Bowl LX on Sunday.

Moments after the Patriots edged the Denver Broncos 10-7 in the AFC Championship, Maye was asked how it felt to secure a Super Bowl berth in just his second NFL season. The 23-year-old didn’t hesitate: “I thank the Good Lord,” he said, smiling during his postgame interview. It was a simple acknowledgment, but one consistent with how the young quarterback has publicly spoken about faith since arriving in New England.

Smith-Njigba echoed that same posture hours later, after the Seahawks topped the Los Angeles Rams 31-27 in the NFC Championship. The wideout, who posted a monster 153 receiving yards and a touchdown, took his opportunity to shine and immediately pointed upward. “I just want to give all glory to God,” he declared. “Without Him … I’m nothing.” He went on to praise “what He has had on this team and in this city and myself,” repeating, “I just want to give Him all the glory.”

The former Ohio State star continued the theme in his press conference, adding, “I want to give all glory to God. Win or lose, draw, I wouldn’t be here without Him.”

The faith-forward reactions didn’t come out of nowhere. Both Maye and Smith-Njigba have long been vocal about their beliefs. Drafted third overall in 2024 out of North Carolina, Maye has often referred to his athletic success as a blessing. Earlier this season, after a win over the Baltimore Ravens, he told reporters he wanted to “thank the Good Lord” for the victory, calling his journey proof that when he chooses to “stay strong in [his] faith,” “good things happen.” His Instagram bio simply reads “Jesus,” accompanied by a cross emoji. Months prior, he released a statement thanking “the Good Lord for the ways in which he continues to bless my life.”

Smith-Njigba’s X profile similarly leaves no ambiguity, describing him as a “follower of Christ” and featuring a pinned post that reads: “I’m a Seahawk! Thank you, Jesus!” Following last weekend’s divisional-round win over the San Francisco 49ers, he posted “AGTGOD!!,” shorthand for “all glory to God.”

With the Patriots and Seahawks now set to meet on Feb. 8 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, both franchises are chasing history. New England — which won six Super Bowls under Tom Brady — hasn’t been back since 2019. A win would give the Patriots a record-setting seventh Lombardi Trophy. Seattle, meanwhile, is returning for the first time since falling to the Patriots in 2015’s dramatic Super Bowl XLIX. The Seahawks’ lone championship came the year prior under then-second-year quarterback Russell Wilson.

For both Maye and Smith-Njigba, the stage will be new — neither has played in a Super Bowl before. But as their Sunday testimonies made clear, they believe the moment is not just about football, but about the One they believe guided them there.