Interview with 2012-13 MSU Quarterback Andrew Maxwell on being benched and finding identity in Christ not football

How would you like to receive the following tweet? You should let all the fans you let down crucify you.  How would you handle that?  That’s a tweet Andrew Maxwell received during his time quarterbacking the Michigan State Spartans football team.

Andrew Maxwell compiled an impressive career as Michigan State University’s quarterback, his biggest season coming as the starter in 2012.  Maxwell finished his MSU career with 3014 passing yards, 14 touchdowns, and a 105.5 quarterback rating in 26 total games played.  After going undrafted, he had tryouts with the San Diego Chargers and New England Patriots in 2014.

In this interview, Andrew and Noah Filipiak discuss what it was like emotionally for Andrew to be benched in Michigan State’s bowl game in favor of Connor Cook, what that off-season was like, and what it was like to be benched again his senior season.  Noah and Andrew discuss all the ways we find our identity in things other than who we are in Christ, football a primary culprit of this in Andrew’s life, the hard lessons God has taught him about trusting God, as well as why fans say such awful things toward players.

Resources mentioned in the interview:
Interview with Ruth Haley Barton on Performance-Oriented Drivenness, Ego, Pace, Soul & Spiritual Transformation

Interview with Josiah Price, #4 Michigan State Spartans career TD leader for a TE

Words the Gospel of Jesus Says You Are

Book resource: Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership by Ruth Haley Barton

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST EPISODE WITH Andrew Maxwell BELOW: (or subscribe on iTunes)

• About
• Latest Posts

Follow me

Noah Filipiak

Founding Pastor at Mosaic Church

Noah is the founding pastor of Mosaic Church, a multi-ethnic church in urban Grand Rapids, MI. He is a grad of Grand Rapids Theological Seminary.
He is:
Author of Beyond the Battle: A man's guide to his identity in Christ in an oversexualized world
Host of the The Flip Side Podcast
Join an online men's small group led by Noah and team at BeyondTheBattle.net

Follow me

Latest posts by Noah Filipiak (see all)

• Ep. 112: Pushing PAUSE on the Podcast - March 1, 2025
• Ep. 111: Rev. Dr. Michael Carrion – Pastoral Thoughts on Mass Deportation and this Cultural Moment - February 17, 2025
• How You Can Tangibly Help Refugees in Your City - February 12, 2025

Follow or Share: