Arriving as a true freshman at Ohio State, Treveyon Henderson had a stellar 1,248 rushing yard season. Everything seemed straightforward for the former OSU RB, and he returned the following year with huge expectations. Except that fate had other plans for him. He could notch just 571 yards because a foot injury cut his sophomore season short. But, during recovery at Ohio State, Henderson found Jesus, a moment he calls a “turning point” in his life.

For Henderson, everything changed dramatically when OSU’s strength coach, Kenny Parker, read from the New Testament to inspire his players. He cited examples from the holy text of Jesus healing people and shared his experience of getting “healed” from sleep paralysis due to his staunch Christian faith. Gradually, Henderson found a new foundation and a new way to live his life.

“Who is Jesus to me?” Henderson said in a promotion video for ‘Jesus Won’ apparel. “He’s my Lord and Savior, he’s my everything, and I really mean that. The person that I once was before I gave my life to Christ, the place that I was in, I was in a very dark place. Depressed at one point, suicidal at one point, living in shame and guilt over the things that I’ve done.

“God never said everything was always going to go away, but he promised us that life will be hard, life will be challenging, but put your faith in me, don’t put your trust in this world. Don’t put your trust in money or whatever. Put your trust in me and trust that I have overcome the world. And so there’s a verse in the Bible that says what we suffer now will be nothing compared to the glory which will be revealed to us later.”

Ever since Kenny Parker introduced Henderson and his teammates to God, the focus for the RB wasn’t to accumulate more rushing yards. It was now time to dedicate his life to Jesus and use that platform to spread the word of God. Henderson calls it his “purpose” and wants to continue playing football for the “glory” of God.

Interestingly, drafted by the Patriots at 38th overall last year, Henderson had a stellar season last year, notching 911 rushing yards. Many would call it his talent, but the 5’10” and 202 lbs RB only credits Jesus.

“One day we will pass from this life to the next one and spend eternity with him, and it’ll be glorious,” Henderson said. “You know, he will wipe away all of our tears, and it’ll be great. And so God bless you all and thank you…Let’s just keep seeking Jesus together, you know, to keep trusting him. His will be done and not ours.”

Henderson became a standout athlete at Ohio State, notching 926 yards after overcoming his injury in the 2023 season. Returning in 2024, he was one of the crucial pieces for Ohio State’s natty win, notching 1,016 rushing yards along with 284 receiving yards. But in doing so, Henderson never forgot to involve his faith. He wore Bible verses on his eyeblack during games, such as Romans 3:22, and emphasized discipline and obedience over outcomes.

Despite the faith that propelled Henderson to unprecedented heights at Ohio State and later with the Patriots, it has also sometimes landed him in trouble.

TreVeyon Henderson landed himself in trouble

Ever since arriving at the New England Patriots, Henderson’s faith in Jesus has only intensified. He credits his faith in post-game interviews, roots for fulfillment beyond the game, and aims to surround himself with “believers.” For Henderson, his rookie contract doesn’t really matter more than his faith or the potential accolades he could earn playing. Instead, he wants to be the voice for his faith, and that’s what he did, supporting Jaden Ivey.

“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.’ Matthew 5:10,” Henderson wrote, quoting an X post that had Ivey’s comments calling the NBA celebrating Pride Night unrighteous. “For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths (2 Timothy 4:3-4).″

Ivey was a 2022 first-round pick by the Detroit Pistons in the NBA draft. However, he has been active on Instagram, posting messages about his religious beliefs. After he posted a video calling the NBA’s Pride Month “unrighteous,” the Bulls swiftly took action, calling his “conduct detrimental to the team” before releasing him. On a similar note, Mike Vrabel has also cautioned TreVeyon Henderson after he supported Ivey, but hasn’t taken any action against the player.

“We just want to educate them … certainly want to make sure that they understand that their actions represent something more than just themselves,” Mike Vrabel said about Henderson’s comments. “So, I do think there’s a fine line. We’re always talking about those kinds of things. We’re trying to educate them. No different than myself, or you guys, or my kids.”