One of the NFL’s biggest stars is in the Super Bowl spotlight for more than football, gaining notice for his bold faith and his willingness to go against the grain by marrying young.

New England’s Drake Maye helped propel the Patriots to the Super Bowl in just his second season, throwing for 4,394 yards and 31 touchdowns while leading the NFL with a 72 percent completion rate. New England faces Seattle Sunday in Super Bowl LX.

This week, Maye told a group of reporters that his faith in Christ has been key to his peace on and off the field. Faith, he said, is a “constant in my life.”

"Being able to shine light on others and get them to follow Jesus Christ is what I'm here for."

“One of the best things about the football team is that there's other brothers on the team that are followers of Christ,” Maye said, adding that he can “share thoughts” with teammates about faith in and out of chapel – moments he described as “powerful.”

“The night before a game, we’re in here spreading the Word, and listening to the Word and knowing that that's bigger than football – it's just been such a thing for me to lean on and then take my thoughts away from football and know that this is my purpose, and this is why I'm here on this stage today, and be able to shine light on others and get them to follow Jesus Christ is what I'm here for. And it's what God put me here to do.”

Meanwhile, Maye is also drawing attention for his countercultural embrace of marrying young. He married his middle school sweetheart, Ann Michael, last summer at age 22. Maye said he has no regrets.

“My teammates, they have the right to whatever they choose, but I definitely would advise them to eventually get married,” he said in the days leading up to the Super Bowl. “It's one of the best things in life, one of the best things I've experienced in my life. And there's no better feeling than coming home to a wife that loves you and cares for you and is just worried about your best interest.

“... I chose to get married young, and I don't regret it one bit.”

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