Giant has big ideas about faith

By PAUL QUIRINI- | Comments: 0 | Leave a comment

On any given Sunday during the fall, David Patten realizes his dream of playing in the National Football League by catching passes and returning kickoffs for the New York Giants.

It's a goal that he insists he couldn't have accomplished if he hadn't turned to God and put his faith above everything else in his life, a message he recently brought to teens and parents at St. John the Evangelist Church in Schenectady.

"I made up my mind to serve the Lord because he would be my provider, protector and healer," Mr. Patten said. "I play to the best of my ability for the glory of God, not the paycheck that I earn."

Childhood dream

Mr. Patten visited St. John's to speak with faith-filled fans about the role God has played in his life and career. The event was hosted by the Schenectady County Religious Education Coordinators Association.

Since his childhood in South Carolina, Mr. Patten knew exactly what he wanted to do with his life: "I didn't want to be a doctor, lawyer or engineer. I wanted to be a football player."

Others tried talking him out of his dream, but the faith his parents instilled in him helped him to quiet the naysayers.

"I've always had people tell me, 'You're too small. You're too slow,' but I had parents that raised me in the church and taught me to believe in God," he said.

Dream deferred

He began playing football at age 11, continued through high school and earned a college athletic scholarship from Western Carolina.

With his sights set on a professional football career, Mr. Patten focused on lifting weights and improving his skills at Western Carolina, but he forgot about his faith and paid the price: No offers from NFL teams came his way after college.

"I wasn't drafted. I didn't even get a phone call to try out for a team," he said. "I worried about my career, but my soul was going down. I didn't serve God or put Him first in my life. Every time I was doing something wrong, I said, 'Lord, I'm going to give my life back to you.'"

His personal life also took a hit when his girlfriend Galiena threatened to leave him if he didn't give his life to God; that convinced him to turn his attention to the Lord.

Dream returns

Despite being away from football for a year and being cut by the Canadian Football League, Mr. Patten got his first chance to play professionally in 1996 with the Albany Firebirds of the Arena Football League. That led to a tryout with the Giants and a stint on their practice squad before he eventually earned a spot on the active roster.

This season, Mr. Patten wore number 85 for the Giants and saw time as a wide receiver and kickoff returner. He entered the season in eighth place on the team's all-time kickoff return list with 1,051 yards and learned to ignore those who say he still lacks size and speed.

"Today, they tell me I'm too small, I'm not fast enough," he said. "This is my third year in the NFL. I'm still here. Of the 11 seniors who signed college football scholarships from high school in my senior year, I'm the only one in the NFL today."

Focus on faith

Mr. Patten, who belongs to a Pentecostal church, doesn't meet too many NFL players who are guided by religious faith, but he follows his beliefs nonetheless.

"I still have peer pressures. When guys have money, they have everything at their fingertips. They can do more and get away with more," he said. "I try to be a light instead of following people to the wrong place. I thank God He gave me the strength and courage to stand by myself."

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