Tears pricked his eyes and chills ran through his body as Ethan Driskell — a Holy Cross High School alumnus — stood on the field of Caesars Superdome with his Kansas City Chiefs teammates, moments before the start of Super Bowl LIX Feb. 9.
“It’s the ultimate dream. It’s special to walk out on the field — you hear the anthem, you get chills, you feel the tears, you reflect on the people who got you there and what got you there,” said Driskell in a recent interview. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that God blesses you with.”
Driskell, who is six feet and nine inches tall and weighs more than 300 pounds, plays offensive tackle for the Chiefs. They faced the Philadelphia Eagles in this year’s Super Bowl in New Orleans.
A 2018 graduate of Holy Cross, Driskell played basketball and football all four years at the school in Southwest Louisville.
Making it to the NFL and the Super Bowl wasn’t something he dreamed of growing up. Neither was his path to the league an easy one.
“There will be great days and not so great days. God tests you in the adversity he puts in your life. Will you turn to him, or will you run away? It’s all in how you respond and how badly you want to do it.”
— Ethan Driskell, offensive tackle for the Kansas City Chiefs
Kent Foushee, Holy Cross’ director of athletic facilities and advancement, believes God had a lot to do with Driskell’s journey. He coached Driskell in basketball and football at Holy Cross, along with football coaches Todd Crumbacker and Bob Bronger.
“Kids don’t go from Class A football to the NFL. It’s insane when you know his journey, and that’s where the faith path comes in,” said Foushee. “If God didn’t have a plan for it, it wasn’t going to happen.”
Foushee noted that Driskell didn’t enter college on an athletic scholarship as many athletes do.
Neither was Driskell selected during the NFL’s draft. He explained that the league selects 257 players each year — giving those selected a greater chance of making it onto a team. After the draft, teams reach out to athletes who weren’t selected to offer them a contract.
Driskell was one of 10 to 15 undrafted free agents signed to a team last year.
He laughed as he recalled missing the call from Chief’s coach Andy Reid. When the two finally connected, Driskell said, Reid laughed his “grandpa laugh,” told him it was OK and asked him to join the Chiefs.
Driskell credits his success to his faith.
“It’s all up to God,” he said during an interview at Holy Cross. “You have to put in the work, but at the end of the day, it’s all in his plan.”
His family, teachers and coaches also played a role, Driskell said. “It’s just the way I was raised.”
He remembered his mother staying up late to wash his football jersey and the importance she placed on his grades, which allowed him to play on his high school team, he said. His parents are still there for him now, he noted. They attended his spring practice with the league and never miss a game.
Holy Cross’ faculty also poured their “heart, sweat and tears” into him, and his football coaches believed in him, he said.
Foushee said that many athletes aspire to reach the NFL “but it’s all about that journey. The journey to get there is what it’s all about, all the lessons and all the people who have been there to support you.”
Driskell said once he decided — while at Marshall University — to try and make the NFL, he didn’t “hold anything back,” he put in all the long hours and hard work to train for the career he wanted.
He wants young people to know, “If you have a dream, there’s nothing you won’t do for it. Hold on tight because it’ll be a rollercoaster.”
“There will be great days and not so great days,” Driskell said. “God tests you in the adversity he puts in your life. Will you turn to him, or will you run away? It’s all in how you respond and how badly you want to do it.”
Driskell added that during the times he’s faced adversity and was tempted to feel sorry for himself, he found that it was helpful to thank God and turn to prayer.
The Chiefs didn’t take home the Super Bowl trophy, but Driskell said, it’s not all about winning. It’s also about forming friendships, making memories and “trusting in what God has in store for us.”
The Chiefs pray before and after each game whether they win or lose, he added.
