Jason Campbell: A Redskin's Reason for Success

CBN.com Washington Redskins quarterback, Jason Campbell has a bright future in the NFL. He entered the League 25th overall in the 05’ NFL draft.  And in just one year was named starting quarterback. The six foot, five inches, 233 pounder from Laurel, Mississippi began his journey at Auburn University.

“When I first got to Auburn, things didn’t take off the way I thought they were going to take off. I went though some tough times where I was splitting time as a red shirt freshman, and then you know going into my sophomore year. They didn’t start me, they started mid-way through the rest of the season, throughout the rest of the year.”

But his junior year, due to his performance on the field, proved to be the most difficult he ever faced. The Tigers finished the season with eight wins and five losses. And the fans blamed the quarterback.    

“It’s just that the ball didn’t bounce our way that year. You know, no matter what ... some games I played really well, but people still question you. I can remember going through a point where if I threw a bad pass, people would 'boo' me and I would be like,'Wow, I'm getting booed!' You know, there were times that it took a lot of perseverance. And through all that, what kept me through that was God, and just being patient ... waiting on Him and just keeping the faith. I knew that He has my best interest, and when He’s ready to deliver me, He’ll deliver me.”

Jason knew that in order to keep his NFL hopes alive, he needed to stay focused.

“You know, sometimes you want to go home. You want to get down on yourself. But at the end of the day, you just remember why you’re here and what got you here, and what’ll bring you through. They always say, you know you believe in God, and He’ll bring you through all things. You know in tough times, that’s the test of your faith. That’s when you really gotta focus. Just understand to be patient. That’s one thing I learned. People were like, 'Why are you always so calm, why are you so patient?' It’s not because of me. It’s because I gave it to the Lord, and I believe in Him so much that He’s going to bring me through.”

In 2004, Jason’s patience paid off. He led the Auburn Tigers to a perfect season with 13 wins. He was named first team All South Eastern Conference [SEC], SEC Offensive Player of the Year, SEC Championship game MVP, as well as Sugar Bowl 2005 MVP.

The number '17' means a lot to Washington Redskins players and fans alike. Why you might ask? Because it was the number worn by Billy Kilmer, the quarterback that led the Redskins to their first Super Bowl appearance. But in 1992, Doug Williams, number '17' led the Redskins to their third Super Bowl victory. But now, Jason Campbell proudly wears '17.' Does this mean the Redskins could be headed for a Super Bowl appearance in the near future? According to Jason, his success has nothing to do with a number.     

“The best decision you can ever make is to give your life to the Lord. You know, just understand that once you give your life to the Lord, through every situation that you go through in life, just believe in Him."

Recently, Jason suffered a knee injury. But he’s relying on the Lord to keep him going.

"God has been good to me. The real test of your faith is when things are not going well. You still need to keep your faith and keep the trust and just know that He’s going to turn things around.”