Falcons rookie Zachariah Branch says Christian faith, daily devotionals fuel his NFL journey
In sports today, players have not been afraid to showcase their stances and opinions, no matter the topic.
Faith has long been a talking point among athletes across professional sports, but Christian faith has been particularly prominent among NFL players and coaches.
For Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Zachariah Branch, leaning on his Christian beliefs has been a significant part of his life and football journey for as long as he can remember.
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Now in the pros, he admitted that being surrounded by those who have similar beliefs has played a role in getting him ready for what’s to come at the highest level of the sport.
"There’s a lot of guys in the locker room who have the same morals and same values, so it’s cool to be surrounded by a lot of those different guys," Branch told OutKick, while highlighting his partnership with Oral-B and Crest.
Branch said that his new teammates, including star running back Bijan Robinson and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, are among those he’s discussed faith with since landing in Atlanta.
But Branch’s faith was instilled in him at an early age. Then, as a freshman at USC following a successful high school career at the renowned Bishop Gorman, he started doing something every day that "set the tone" for how he attacked life the second his eyes opened — game day or not.
"Not necessarily game day, it’s really any day. As soon as I first wake up, I got to make sure I read my devotional book – whatever the date is for that day," he revealed.
"I’ve always been very, very faithful as a kid growing up. But I think I started that my freshman year in college when I was at USC. I always started off with my devotional book, and that’s stuck with me through my whole career. So, definitely want to start my day with that every single day, and it’s been working for me."
Branch, who transferred to Georgia for his final collegiate season last year and stayed in the Peach State when the Falcons took him 79th overall back in April, believes that God has given him tremendous gifts, which includes blazing speed, strength and everything needed to have a career in the NFL.
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To him, leaning on faith — on and off the field — is a life pillar that drives him just as much as his determination to play a long career.
"Everything," he said when asked what his faith meant to him. "I don’t think I would be where I am today if it wasn’t for the things God has allowed me to do and the opportunities he’s allowed me to have as well. I think the ability He has given me to do what I do on the field, that’s something that is all Him. I just get a chance to exhale that and make sure I enhance it as best I can. I would be doing Him a disservice if I don’t take advantage of those things and the gifts He has blessed me with.
"So, I’m very, very grateful for the opportunities He has given me, and the ones to come as well."
Branch is just three regular-season games into his NFL career, but the 22-year-old’s confidence that he will rise into a start for the Falcons is more than rooted in his self-belief.
While Branch’s devotional reading takes precedent, he also made sure to mention the next step of his gameday mornings: brushing his teeth. It’s a start to the day that many share with him, but he does so with Oral-B and Crest, the official toothbrush, toothpaste, floss and mouthwash of the NFL.
Oral-B and Crest gave fans more ways to celebrate the game, and more importantly, their favorite teams with special-edition products that feature seven squad, including Branch’s Falcons. And while he loves to see that Falcons logo every time he heads to the sink to brush his teeth, he noted that his mother was asking for it as well.
"It’s a blessing when they presented me with the opportunity to get a chance to showcase the Oral-B and Crest products. I use them every day to make sure that my smile is always white as I leave the house. It was pretty cool to do that deal and interact with some great people and a great brand as well.
"Seeing that logo on the toothpaste and the toothbrush is pretty cool. Just get a chance to take it in and know that it’s a blessing every single day to represent that and use those products."