\tBut did you know that many NFL players spend a significant amount of time praying and worshiping God?<\/p>\n
\tMaury Buford, owner of Buford Roofing in North Texas, is one example.<\/p>\n
\tBuford was a punter in the National Football League for the San Diego Chargers, the Chicago Bears, and the New York Giants and was a member of the famous 1985 Super Bowl-winning Bears squad.<\/p>\n
\tBuford said his Catholic faith played a significant role in his football career.<\/p>\n
\tHe grew up in a small town east of Dallas called Mount Pleasant, Texas, and was the fifth of seven children.\u00a0 The population of Mount Pleasant at that time was 9,000 people.<\/p>\n
\tHe attended Saint Michael\u2019s Catholic Church there.<\/p>\n
\t\u201cI used to walk to church, which was right in our backyard, and was an altar boy from seven years old to my middle teens,\u201d Buford said.<\/p>\n
\tHis father was a convert to the Catholic faith and his mother was a cradle Catholic.<\/p>\n
\tBack then, there were few Catholics in Mount Pleasant.<\/p>\n
\t\u201cI had an incredible experience growing up and was a huge Dallas Cowboys fan,\u201d he said.\u00a0 \u201cMy routine was to go to Mass on Sundays and we would come home to watch the noon ballgame or later game.\u00a0 We scheduled Mass times around football games.\u201d<\/p>\n
\tBuford said one of his older siblings inspired him to start playing football.<\/p>\n
\t\u201cI had an older brother named Lee who was a field goal kicker of the local high school team and I would shag the football for him,\u201d Buford said.\u00a0 \u201cHe wanted me to catch the football for him but I was too young to throw it to home and didn\u2019t want to place it back on the tee so I would punt it back to him.\u00a0 This was something I always enjoyed.<\/p>\n
\t\u201cIn high school I played quarterback and also did some special teams, just as a punter,\u201d he said.\u00a0 \u201cBack then it was whoever wanted to do it.\u00a0 Lee got me inspired.\u00a0 In my brother\u2019s senior year in high school, he was in a state championship football game.\u00a0 Football became a passion to me and those guys were my heroes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\tBuford said football in Texas in a small town was the life for many people.<\/p>\n
\t\u201cWhen we would travel, football was a way of life,\u201d Buford said.\u00a0 \u201cIn my junior year at Mount Pleasant, college scouts would come scout players and they happened to watch me, and Texas Tech became very interested in me.\u201d<\/p>\n
\tTexas Tech eventually offered Buford a scholarship to play for them.<\/p>\n
\t\u201cTexas Tech is a great location even though a lot of people would not agree with me,\u201d he said.\u00a0 \u201cI was a member of the parish there on campus so my faith life was very important in college as well.\u201d<\/p>\n
\tBuford started all four years as a punter in college and led the nation as a punter his freshman season.<\/p>\n
\t\u201cI was selected All-Southwest Conference team three of my years there,\u201d he said.\u00a0 \u201cMy proudest achievements were to be chosen on the Academic All-American team also.\u00a0 That was my job to do well in school since Tech was paying for me to go to school and the least I could do was go to class, show up and give my best effort.\u00a0 That\u2019s what I tell my children, that their job is to make good grades.\u00a0 College life is all about time management. I wanted to give my best job in the classroom.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tBuford said prayer was a major part of his spiritual life.<\/p>\n
\t\u201cI would always pray before a ballgame and during the week,\u201d he said.\u00a0 \u201cI would never pray to win or be the best player out on field.\u00a0 I think God has more important things to deal with than a sporting game or to see who wins or loses a ballgame.\u00a0 I would pray to keep my teammates safe and to pray for them to be free of any injuries.\u00a0 I would also pray that I go out there and give my best efforts and thank God for giving me talents and the drive to play and win.\u00a0 I thank God for giving me the passion to play as well.\u201d<\/p>\n
\tBuford said many athletes take their gifts for granted.<\/p>\n
\t\u201cA lot of athletes have talent but they don\u2019t use it,\u201d he said.\u00a0 \u201cYou have to have drive also and I thank God because he gave me both of those.\u00a0 A lot of athletes take their talents for granted.\u00a0 They just think they have to show up, but it takes more than that.\u00a0 As a team we would gather around and say the Lord\u2019s prayer before kickoff.\u201d<\/p>\n
\tBuford graduated from Texas Tech in 1982 and was drafted in the eighth round by the San Diego Chargers.\u00a0 He played three years with them and then was traded to Chicago.<\/p>\n
\t\u201cThe first thing I thought after being traded to the Chicago Bears was how am I going to stay warm,\u201d Buford said.\u00a0 \u201cAt that time, I thought it was worst thing that happened to me, being traded, but it turns out it was the greatest thing that happened to me.\u00a0 In my first season we won the Super Bowl.\u00a0 It just goes to show you that God has his ways that are better than our ways.\u00a0 We have to trust Him.\u00a0 Professionally, it was the greatest thing that ever happened to me.\u201d<\/p>\n
\t\u201cIt was a blessing to be on that 1985 Chicago Bears team that won the Super Bowl,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\tIn 1987 he was cut in training camp and played for the New York Giants for awhile before returning to the Bears again.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cFrom a money standpoint, we made good money but not like now,\u201d he said.\u00a0 \u201cPeople always ask me today if I am envious of the money players make today.\u00a0 I am not at all envious because all football players are just one injury away from losing their careers.\u201d<\/p>\n
\tBuford said prayer played an important role for many NFL players.<\/p>\n
\t\u201cDuring home games, we had a team priest whose name was Father Nick,\u201d he said.\u00a0 \u201cFather Nick would come down and say Mass for the team.\u00a0 Coach Mike Ditka was a Catholic and would go to daily Mass.\u00a0 The Catholics were well represented on the Bears squad.\u00a0 Even our owners at the time were Catholics.\u00a0 When our team would play on the road, we had a designated player find a church and a priest to say Mass for the team.\u201d<\/p>\n
\tBuford said every time he would play, he would pray.<\/p>\n
\t\u201cEvery time I would run out on the field, I would say Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, pray for us,\u201d he said.\u00a0 \u201cI never miss a game.\u00a0 I respect players like Tim Tebow and see nothing wrong with his display of prayer on the field.\u00a0 You see kids now who dance in the end zones and say \u2018look at me look at me.\u2019\u00a0 So there is nothing wrong with what Tim Tebow does.\u00a0 This is not our world, we are not meant to stay here, and our home is in heaven.\u201d<\/p>\n
\tPosted with permission from the Catholic Sports Association<\/a>, an organization dedicated to highlighting Catholic sports professionals and enriching junior high and high school student-athletes with Catholic sports articles, conferences, a Web series, and other programs.<\/em><\/p>\n