Former NFL star and soccer analyst David Pollack is on a mission to encourage children and families to share hope and truth, revealing how his own path to faith was triggered by curiosity and sacrificial sharing of other people’s gospel messages.
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Pollack, a linebacker for the Cincinnati Bengals, has a new, brave book project called The Dot Dot Kid, a book motivated by his quest to teach children important life values.
“It’s not about performance,” he said. He said he wrote a book and left to teach his children how to navigate the tough situation.
Pollack said that children can learn quite a bit about life by weathering the storms of life.
“Needless to say, we’re clearing up obstacles and difficulties that aren’t bothering us for kids these days,” he said. “They need it to be God’s going to make them and to build their character and grow to strengthen their path.”
Pollack also discussed his own path to faith, pointing out that although he did not develop Christians, certain events at his high school age helped him change his mind and heart. In particular, he was invited to a “lockout,” where he and his fellow young people remained in the church, played sports and hang out.
The incident led to the introduction of Pollack to Jesus.
“That was the first time I’d heard of Jesus,” he said. “I’m sure there’s someone who said it, but I never really thought about it, I heard about it and was in church.”
Pollack had a physics teacher, carrying a Jesus sticker and listening to praise and worshiping music. Students at the time would have jokingly called him “Yes Freak.” Over time, the two formed a relationship, sparking more Pollack’s plot.
Between Lockout and his physics teacher, Pollack was intrigued and decided to read the Bible for his English assignments. However, his English teacher was pushed back first.
“My English teacher said ‘No’,” Pollack said. “She said, ‘I don’t know the Bible. I can’t check it to make sure you’re reading it.”
However, Pollack suggested that his physics teacher, a man who clearly knew the Bible, would help him to ensure that he read the assignments. The teacher agreed, and Pollack realized that he was exploring the Gospels, the background of his disciples, and the life of Jesus.
“And man, oh my life has been shaken and changed forever,” he said. “And then I said, ‘I want to know more’ and started reading more and more, so I started going to church. ”
Pollack continues, “I had the good fortune of accepting Christ and having a coach at a university where I was living for Jesus.”
Ultimately, Pollack’s faith grew over the years. Like many, he faces challenges, including a career-ending neck injury.
The former NFL player explained how he handled these often-faithful experiences.
“There are always two options. You run towards God or away from him,” he said. “But I realized that it was really great because I thought I was on this road. I was going to go to the NFL and go to the Pro Bowl. This is what I’m going to go.
Pollack said he expressed his gratitude for his dreams to be alive, even if he didn’t conclude the way he wanted.
“I was able to survive my dreams. It’s been my dream since I was six… to play in the NFL,” he said. “And did it go the way I wanted? It was definitely not. And I remember seeing my wife, “I can’t imagine the next thing, baby, this is amazing.”
It was the moment that defined faith that Pollack led his relationship with the Lord deeply.
“God started raising me. I’m a better spouse. I’m a better dad. I’d never experienced many of these things. “These things made me exactly. And I had to wake me up and show me what true faith is, what grace is, and what it’s like to deal with something really, really difficult.”
Now he is working to instill these lessons about children and families through “The Dot Doit Kid.” Pollack wants to help build resilience and encourage children to grow in their lives.
I don’t share much of my personal life on social media, but today it’s not. If you are the type of prayer, lift up your wife, Lindsay. She has brain cancer and the surgery will be in Duke on Wednesday. Thank you for serving the loving God we meet in our struggle!
– David Pollack (@DavidPollack47) March 10, 2025
Also, take some time as Pollack and his wife, Lindsay, are fighting a brain tumor and are recovering from surgery.
“If you are the kind of prayer, lift up your wife, Lindsay,” he wrote to X in March. “She has brain cancer and the surgery is duke on Wednesday. We are grateful for serving the loving God we meet in our struggle!”
I’ll leave a video where Lindsay praises the Lord after the surgery.
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