5 pro athletes who stand up for their religious beliefs

Tim Tebow, who signed a one-year contract with the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday, is back in the NFL.

Tebow, who’s had an up and down NFL career after being drafted by the Denver Broncos in 2010, is known for his physical toughness, strong running and, perhaps most noticeably, his commitment to God.

A strong Christian who’s dedicated to bringing hope to kids and orphans struggling with life-threatening diseases and spreading the gospel through missionary work, Tebow isn’t one to shy away from proclaiming his beliefs.

“I have no problem, ever, sharing what I believe. I’m a Christian, a follower of Jesus Christ, and that is first and foremost the most important thing in my life,” said Tebow. “For me, it’s about having a relationship with Christ. And that’s pretty much it. That’s the basis of what I believe in.”

While Tebow might be the most recognizable religious athlete, there are plenty of others. Here are five:

Morgan Pressel

Pressel, who is a member of the Ladies Professional Golf Association, is considered one of the top female golfers in the world. At the age of 17, Pressel gave up a scholarship to Duke University and became a pro golfer.

Pressel has stated that her Jewish faith plays an important role in her life. Pressel also helped found the Morgan Pressel Foundation, which was established to fight breast cancer.

Jimmer Fredette

Fredette, who currently plays for the New Orleans Pelicans in the NBA, burst onto the national scene during his career at Brigham Young University, a school owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Fredette, who grew up in the Mormon Church, says that his faith has helped him throughout his NBA career, and that he isn’t bothered by what people may think of the way he shows his faith in God.

“I try as best I can to be the best I can be and be a good role model. I do it because I want to do it and not because I’m supposed to,” he said.

Jake Peavy

Peavy is a professional baseball pitcher currently with the San Francisco Giants. In 2007, while with the San Diego Padres, Peavy won baseball’s highest recognition, the Cy Young Award.

Peavy, a devout Christian, is quick to credit God for all of his successes.

“He’s the reason that I believe I’m able to do what I do. There’s no way I can tell you that on my own I can go out and be able to perform in some of these stadiums and some of these atmospheres,” he said. “But for some reason I believe that I am here, that he has a calling on my life and has allowed me to have the talent.”

Allyson Felix

Felix is an American track superstar. Since joining her seventh-grade track team, she’s been one of the fastest people on the planet. She won two gold medals at the 2012 Olympic Games in London, one in the women’s 200 and the other in the 4-by-100 meter relay.

While her success on the track is a part of who she is, Felix says there’s more to her than a quick stride.

“I was raised in a Christian home and so faith was always part of what we did. As I grew older, my faith became my own,” she said. “I’ve had low moments when I’ve had to rely on my faith. I love track, but I never want it to define me, because there’s so much more to myself than that.”

Philip Rivers

Rivers, who currently quarterbacks the San Diego Chargers of the NFL, has been a devout Catholic his entire life. He and his wife, Tiffany, have been strong proponents of the family, and encourage youths to abstain from sex until after marriage.

You’d think an NFL player, who has a busy Sunday schedule of games, would just have to skip Sunday Mass during the season. But not Rivers. The quarterback makes an extra effort to still attend.“I love to play football but wanted to be able to attend Mass as well. Now, I do that by going to a vigil Mass or an early Sunday morning one,” he said. “If I put football above my faith and family, I think I’d be worse off as a player, not better.”