Rolf Benirschke, Former NFL Kicker
Sports Spectrum Podcast
Sports Spectrum
4.9 • 685 Ratings
🗓️ 21 January 2019
⏱️ 48 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Episode 229
As the third most accurate placekicker in NFL history at the time of his retirement, Rolf Benirschke had an illustrious 10-year career with the San Diego Chargers. The Pro Bowl kicker was named the 1983 Walter Payton Man of the Year and 11 years after retiring, he was inducted into the Chargers Hall of Fame.
In his second NFL season, Benirschke was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis. He would be forced to embark on a journey that would lead to deep despair and self-discovery. It would require four major abdominal surgeries and challenge his very life before returning him to the highest of heights.
Rolf played in 3 of the greatest games in NFL history, "The Holy Roller" of 1978, "The Epic in Miami" in January 1982, and "The Freezer Bowl" one week later, also in January 1982.
On this inspiring episode of the podcast, we talk to Rolf about being a kicker, the mentality of rebounding after a big missed field goal, coming to faith in Christ during his NFL career, playing in 2 of the greatest playoff games in back-to-back weeks in January 1982, and overcoming life-threatening illnesses to return to the NFL and ultimately use his story to encourage others.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Welcome to Sports Spectrum, the Sports and Faith podcast that brings Jesus back into the conversation. |
| 0:17.5 | Here's your host, Jason Romano. |
| 0:19.8 | This episode of the Sports Spectrum podcast is sponsored by Compassion International. |
| 0:25.9 | $38 a month. |
| 0:27.7 | That's all it takes to make a difference in a child's life. |
| 0:31.3 | And so many of us are wondering, how can we make a difference? |
| 0:34.3 | Where can we help? |
| 0:36.0 | Where can we truly make a difference in someone's life? And how about if that someone was a difference? Where can we help? Where can we truly make a difference in someone's life? |
| 0:39.6 | And how about if that someone was a child in need, a child in poverty, a child lacking food, |
| 0:45.5 | education, medical care, and vocational training? Well, that's where Compassion International comes in. |
| 0:51.4 | For $38 a month, you go to compassion.com slash sports spectrum. That's the website. |
| 0:57.0 | Compassion.com slash sports spectrum. Find a child, sponsor a child, pray about sponsoring a child, |
| 1:04.0 | and then that's it. You release them from poverty and you make a connection and make a difference, |
| 1:08.8 | releasing a child from poverty that will last for |
| 1:12.0 | eternity. The most trusted child development ministry in the world is Compassion International. |
| 1:18.4 | Go to compassion.com slash sports spectrum and sponsor a child today. |
| 1:24.6 | Today on the podcast, it is really awesome to be joined by former NFL kicker Roth Benershka. |
| 1:33.5 | And it's a great name, first of all. |
| 1:35.6 | I remember having his football card as a kid. |
| 1:39.0 | And Roth was selected in the 12th round. |
| 1:41.0 | There isn't even a 12th round in the NFL anymore. |
| 1:43.1 | The 12th round of the isn't even a 12th round in the NFL anymore, the 12th round of the |
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