Ohio State quarterback Will Howard played, on the night of Wednesday, January 1, what was his best game of the season, leading Ohio State to a 41-21 Rose Bowl win over the No. 1-ranked Oregon Ducks. What’s more, he thanked God after the victory. Still, he wasn’t allowed on stage by officials after the game.
Thanking God after the game for granting him the opportunity to play ball in such a big and exciting way, Howard said, “First and foremost I’ve got to thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for giving me this opportunity.” He then added that there’s still more in store, saying, “A younger me would be in awe right now…we’re not done yet.”
Calling attention to the matter was The Redheaded Libertarian, who called out the seemingly anti-Christian officials in a post on X. She said, “Will Howard thanked his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ after winning the Rose Bowl. He was then the only player on the team physically blocked from going on stage.”
Howard, commenting on the shocking matter as it happened, said that it was apparently the weight limit of the stage that led officials to block him from getting on it. He said, “Yeah I know, they’re blocking me over there, too.” He then added, “Guys, there’s a weight limit, apparently. … they’re literally blocking me out.”
Still, commenters online were furious at what they saw as anti-Christian discrimination. One, for example, wrote, “Christians are under attack, literally & spiritually. We have to win our society’s institutions back from the atheists who have colonized them.” Another commenter simply said, “What a disgrace.”
Watch Howard not be allowed on stage here:
Similarly, still another commenter chimed in and wrote, “Unbelievable. Well, not unbelievable with these networks.” Another noted how ridiculous it was that not one of his teammates helped him out, saying, “Even worse that not one of his teammates stood up for him and pulled him on stage.” Replying, the Redheaded Libertarian said, “Very unsportsmanlike and unbrotherly conduct by his teammates.”
One negative commenter tried attacking Howard for thanking God, saying, “When athletes trot up to the mic after a win and thank their god, I can’t help but cringe. The implication that some cosmic being decided, “Yes, this is where I’ll intervene, right here in the fourth quarter, because this one player’s touchdown is my divine priority.” It’s absurd. Do we think the almighty is sidelining world hunger to throw a Hail Mary? Come on. It cheapens the real story: their skill, their training, their human grit. Just own your hard work. You didn’t pray the ball into the endzone; you practiced for it.” Responding, the Redheaded Libertarian roasted that ridiculous comment, saying, “He thanked God for the opportunity to play. He didn’t thank God for divine intervention in winning a game.”
In any case, another, positive commenter argued that ESPN owes him an apology, saying, “Why would any player have been blocked from going up there but this garbage. It looks like one or two of the players are trying to get him up there, but I don’t understand why he’s being blocked. ESPN and the @rosebowlgame owe him an apology. And I agree, his teammates should’ve pulled him up there past that man standing there. @OhioStateFB @espn”
Watch Howard thank God after the game here:
Featured image credit: screengrab from the embedded video
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