Introduction
Why Honor Terry McLaurin?
Super Bowl LIX is over, but I can’t let the 2024 season end without honoring Washington Commanders Wide Receiver Terry McLaurin.
You may wonder why acknowledge an athlete whose team didn’t win the National Football League’s (NFL) Super Bowl.
The reason is that there are times when a true champion is overlooked due to their team’s lack of success. This is how I feel about Terry McLaurin.
But I’m not simply recognizing Mclaurin for his efforts on the field. I’m honoring him for his leadership and humility which stems from his faith in Jesus Christ.
Before revealing how Mclaurin displays leadership and humility, let’s examine his journey to the NFL.
Terry Mclaurin’s Background
Influential Parents
Terry McLaurrin was born on September 15, 1995, in Indianapolis, Indiana. He lived with his mother, Grace, and two sisters growing up.
Terry credits his parents for blessing him with athletic ability. His mother played multiple sports and worked as an IT programmer.
His father Terry McLaurin Sr. played college football at Chowan University and North Carolina A&T. McLaurin Sr. also worked as a sales professional.
Despite work demands and not living in the same home, McLaurin Sr. ensured his son’s dream of playing in the NFL became a reality. He did this by working extra shifts to watch his son play on Saturdays.
McLaurin Sr. also took Terry to Indianapolis Colts games and wisely advised him to play wide receiver in middle school.
Sadly, McLaurin Sr. has passed away. Terry strives to keep his father’s memory alive by
- Giving his best on the field.
- Staying humble.
- Always seeking ways to improve.
Terry’s mother also helped him get to the NFL by stressing the importance of four core values.
- Faith.
- Discipline.
- Being a team player.
- Hard work.
Proverbs 14:23 says there is profit in hard work. Terry began to see the fruit of his labor during his senior year at Central High School.
During that season, Terry had
- 49 receptions
- 819 receiving yards
- 7 receiving touchdowns.
- 72 carries
- 662 rushing yards.
- 4 rushing touchdowns
- 486 return yards.
These returning and offensive stats helped him become Indiana’s Mr. Football for the 2013-2014 school year.
Proving His Worth
Earning the honor of Mr. Football allowed McLaurin to capture the attention of scouts at Ohio State University (OSU). Interestingly, coach Urban Meyer did not believe McLaurin’s high school success was enough to warrant having a spot on the team.
For McLaurin, proving his with meant spending two weeks catching two hundred balls a day before having another tryout. Instead of complaining, he caught passes from any willing participant.
McLaurin’s compliance showed coach Urban Meyer he has the work ethic and character expected of OSU athletes.
While McLaurin earned a scholarship, his season of waiting continued, redshirting his freshman year in 2014.
Similar to the experiences of King David, McLaurin’s waiting period proved beneficial to his development. Spending two seasons with the scout team allowed him to strengthen his catching and blocking skills.
The development process provided coaches with more evidence that he was willing to do whatever was necessary to be successful.
McLaurin’s time to be successful publicly arrived in the 2016 through 2018 seasons, ending his career at OSU
- Playing 53 games.
- Making 75 receptions.
- Obtaining 1251 receiving yards.
- Scoring 19 touchdowns.
He was also on OSU teams that won the
- 2015 National Championship.
- 2016 Fiesta Bowl.
- 2017 Cotton Bow.
- 2019 Rose Bowl.
The NFL: A Dream and Nightmare?
Remembering a Real Friend
Attending OSU helped Mclaurin win bowl games and build a strong bond with Dwayne Haskins. Haskins was the OSU starting quarterback during the 2018-2019 season.
He had a stellar season, leading the team to a Rose Bowl Victory against the Washington Huskies. His success prompted Washington to select him with the 15th pick in the first round of the 2019 NFL draft.
Haskins was ready to accept the challenge of becoming a great professional quarterback.
However, he wisely asked Washington to draft an OSU wide receiver since they already are familiar with one another. As a result, McLaurin was Washington’s choice with the 79th pick in the third round of that same draft.
One can describe the bond between McLaurin and Haskins as the epitome of Proverbs 27:17.
During an interview with The Pivot, McLaurin mentions how Haskins helped him make many connections he still has today. He also praises Haskins for being a good man and friend who held others accountable.
Sadly, Dwayne Haskins died on April 9, 2022, before the world could see what his career would become with the Pittsburgh Steelers. McLaurin vows to keep Haskins’s memory alive by telling others about him.
Tried By Organizational Fires
Losing Dwayne Haskins is not the only trial McLaurin had to endure since being drafted by Washington in 2019. He had to embrace the challenge of playing for ten different starting quarterbacks.
For McLaurin and Washington’s offense, having numerous starting quarterbacks was problematic because it hindered team chemistry. This proves true as Washington has had several losing seasons including a 4-13 record in 2023.
Along with losing seasons, McLaurin has had to overcome playing for an organization with a toxic owner facing legal trouble for his actions. Ownership transitions, multiple team names, and head coaching changes did not make playing for Washington any easier.
Faithful Through Adversity
Humility and Hard Work
Despite all these challenges McLaurin chose to conduct himself professionally. He gave his best during practice and the games which is evident by his career totals through six seasons. So far McLaurin has acquired
- 460 receptions.
- 6379 receiving yards.
- 38 touchdowns (including a career-best of 13 in 2024 catching passes from Jayden Daniels).
- 300 1st downs.
- 12 rushing attempts for 73 yards.
These stats helped McLaurin earn awards such as the NFL
- All-Rookie Team (2019).
- Top 100 Player (2023 & 2024)
- Pro Bowl Team selections (2022 & 2024).
- Man of the Year Nominee (2023).
Being an NFL Man of the Year Nominee speaks volumes about McLaurin’s professionalism and overall character. While frustration may have been expressed after tough losses, McLaurin has never acted detrimentally toward his team.
This is worth highlighting because there are athletes like Jimmy Butler who become detrimental to their team when unhappy.
Therapy & Faith in Jesus Christ
While every athlete has the right to express their unhappiness with their employer, it should not become a public distraction. The reason why is their teams still need them to be successful.
Beyond team success, I believe McLaurin remains professional in frustrating situations because of his faith in Jesus Christ. McLaurin understands his conduct and lifestyle are a direct reflection of his relationship with God.
If McLaurin was intentionally harming his team, he would not be conducting himself in a manner worthy of the Gospel. Then he would not be able to fulfill his desire to let the world know that God
- Will hold them accountable for their actions.
- Loves them.
- Will embrace them if they have the faith to come to him.
Along with wanting the world to know God loves them, he also wants to be a light for Christ.
One way he shines his light comes through the charitable efforts he does with the McLaurin Foundation. This foundation enables him to demonstrate his faith by meeting the needs of DMV area residents and students.
McLaurin also demonstrates his faith by being an advocate for therapy. Some Christians may not agree with his advocating for therapy, thinking prayer is the only answer for life’s issues.
While prayer is essential, scripture doesn’t discourage believers from seeking wise counsel through therapy. McLaurin wants people to understand therapy can be an impactful resource in helping people heal and become better versions of themselves.
Therapy and faith in Jesus Christ are the reasons why Terry McLaurin is the humble leader we know today.
Is there another Christian athlete who’s humble like Terry McLaurin that I should highlight? Your feedback is welcomed and appreciated!
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