New England Patriots rookie TreVeyon Henderson is making a powerful statement on the field by raising awareness for persecuted Christians worldwide through his custom "My Cause My Cleats" footwear.



One of the NFL’s rising stars is using his platform to support persecuted Christians around the world.

Rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson of the New England Patriots wore specially designed cleats in the team’s Monday game supporting Global Christian Relief, a non-profit organization that delivers emergency aid, housing, legal support, Bibles, and training to persecuted Christians across the planet. Global Christian Relief was formerly known as Open Doors USA.

The unique cleats were part of the NFL’s My Cause My Cleats campaign, which allows players to highlight charities and causes meaningful to them through customized footwear worn during games.

Henderson’s cleats included a map of the world, a depiction of blood drops, a Bible reference (Matthew 5:10), and the Global Christian Relief logo.

“When you read the Bible and you look at what Jesus teaches us and what He warns us – just about the persecution that we will face for following Him – you don't see too much of that [and] I know that there's a lot of it going on, but there's not much awareness about it,” Henderson said in a video recorded for Global Christian Relief.

“It really just opened my eyes, because – the things that Christ was warning us about, you know, I started to realize that that is still happening today.”

The blood drops, he said, represent not only Christ’s blood but also the blood of the persecuted church.

“The blood that has been shed on the cross, the blood that has been shed for people who have lost their lives for pursuing and following Christ – this symbolizes just the faithfulness of the persecuted church, that despite the blood that's being shed, one thing that they're not losing is just their faith,” Henderson said.

Matthew 5:10 reads: “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

The faithfulness of persecuted Christians, Henderson said, encourages him to be courageous and bold, noting that in the United States, “we face very little persecution, compared to what they're facing.”

“They're still faithful to Christ. They're still trusting Jesus,” he said.

The Patriots defeated the New York Giants 33-15, with Henderson rushing for 67 yards and catching three passes for 19 yards.

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