Church of Christ kid and small-town high school athlete Colt McCoy grew up to be one of the greatest college football players of all time before going on to play 13 seasons in the National Football League.

Just a few weeks before recording this conversation with The Christian Chronicle, McCoy announced his retirement from playing the sport that made him famous.

In this episode, he opens up about what it is like to do something at such a high level for so long, only to wake up one day and recognize that it is all over. He shares how, through the loss of big games (like the 2009 BCS National Championship) and missed opportunities (like being the Heisman Trophy runner-up his senior year), God taught him how to stay hopeful in loss.

McCoy also opens up about how he found ways to lead his teammates, tolerate constant (and sometimes debilitating) pain and see God everywhere he went in college and professional football.

Most of all, he explains how he kept his focus on God and on representing Christ in the bright lights, constant temptations and enormous pressure of big time football. And he lets us wonder with him what God might do next as he enters the second act of his life after football.

Link to The Christian Chronicle's archive of Colt McCoy interviews and stories from his 18-year college and professional football career

Find more news and stories at christianchronicle.org

Donate to support this ministry of "information and inspiration" at christianchronicle.org/donate

Send your comments, ideas, and suggestions to [email protected]