Ted Karras
Episode 216
20 MAR 2023
He is an offensive lineman who has played seven seasons in the NFL, most recently with the Cincinnati Bengals. He was a sixth-round pick by the New England Patriots in the 2016 National Football League Draft and spent five of his first six seasons with New England, including being on two Super Bowl-winning teams with the Patriots. In 2020 he appeared in all 16 games as a member of the Miami Dolphins. As a student-athlete he had started 43 games during a career at the University of Illinois, including being team captain in his senior year, 2015, and in high school he helped his team to two state titles. On the faith side, he will be a speaker this coming weekend at the National Men’s Conference in Cincinnati.
Notable guest quotes:
“Comparison is the thief of joy… expending any energy on things that aren’t productive.”
“I attended Catholic school all the way up through high school… My father has been a football coach at both the high school and collegiate levels, mostly for Catholic programs… We played a lot of Catholic football and I’ve had a lot of amazing teachers, (and) a lot of amazing priests.”
“I have had a very fun life with a lot of great people, but I’ve always found time to pray and give thanks and be very thankful and grateful.”
“At that point in my life (NFL Draft) I actually had just gotten confirmed.”
“There is a Catholic church that is on campus, and they have actually a large Catholic community, they have a Catholic dorm. University of Illinois is a humongous school, and it was an amazing opportunity to see, there’s all sorts of different organizations and they had a strong Catholic presence on campus.”
“My family and I, personally, we’ve said the Prayer of Jabez now for 20 years, almost every day, I say it every day. I think my family does as well. I do find time in the morning to pray every day.”
“I’m turning 30 in two weeks, still playing football, that’s never lost on me that that’s a blessing.”
“Athletics also brings communities together, a lot of good fellowship.”
“The Damar Hamlin situation this year united the country in prayer, which I thought was extraordinary.”
“I walk to the 50 (yard line) and back on our side, probably about four or five times, in prayer, and then I warm up and (then) it’s time to play the game.”
Related links:
Ted’s page on Cincinnati Bengals’ website
National Men’s Conference
