Giants' Player Thanks God for Getting Him Back Into NFL

(Photo: Reuters/Jeff Haynes)
New York Giants middle linebacker Chase Blackburn celebrates after the Giants defeated the New England Patriots in the NFL Super Bowl XLVI football game in Indianapolis, Indiana, February 5, 2012.

By Setrige Crawford , Christian Post Reporter

February 8, 2012|3:00 pm

Giants' linebacker, Chase Blackburn has said that God gave him another opportunity to play in the NFL after spending most of the season out of the NFL, as a teacher.

Chase Blackburn was an integral player in the New York Giants' Super Bowl season. However, he failed to earn a contract, as a free agent, at the beginning of the 2011 season and was ready to hang up his cleats and try teaching.

He ended the season celebrating a Super Bowl victory and gives God the credit for getting him back in the game, according to the Baptist Press.

"God gave me another opportunity to play," Blackburn said. "I'm just trying to make the most of it."

Blackburn had played six seasons with the Giants, mostly on special teams and as a reserve linebacker. He was starting to pursue a teaching career, when the Giants re-signed him for a Week 13 match-up against the Green Bay Packers.

"God was the only one who could get me back in this game," Blackburn said. "He had to provide the opportunity, and he did. It took till week 13 when we played Green Bay for the opportunity to come, but I just promised Him that if he gave me the opportunity, I'd be ready for it."

The Giants defense had been struggling, when they reached out to Blackburn. Starting middle linebacker, Jonathan Goff had suffered a season-ending injury before the start of the season and rookie, Greg Jones was struggling.

In just his first game back, after missing over half the season, Blackburn had an interception and ten total tackles against the undefeated Green Bay Packers, according to ESPN.com. In the Super Bowl, he caught a critical interception in the fourth quarter that led to the Giants game-winning drive.

"I saw [Gronkowski] look back so I looked back for the ball," Blackburn said. "When I spotted it, I tried to block out and go up for a rebound like in basketball."

Blackburn's career has been a quiet one up until this season and while it is unclear if the Giants will re-sign him, he made the most of the second chance God has given him this year.