Yesterday, I sat in my girlfriend’s best friend’s living room watching the Chiefs v. 49ers game. I’m a Cowboys fan at heart, but I’m slowly learning to love the Chiefs. It’s a painful process, but so is being a Cowboys fan. Pick your poison, I guess.
In the middle of an otherwise normal NFL matchup, out of nowhere, I witnessed a 49ers safety, Malik Mustapha—(a sick NFL safety name)—fly down from 12 yards deep and smoke the incoming running back. Immediately, I jumped out of my seat in excitement. Hits like that don’t come around often, so when they do, you have to go crazy. These are the plays that keep us watching the game. They change momentum. They make you stand out. This is what it means to “Send It.”
What Does It Mean to “Send It”?
Sending it means you’re willing to risk it all to make the play. Football is a risky sport, but the plays that stand out are the ones that make a difference in the game and help you get noticed. Without sending it, you’re always wondering when the right time is, and you’ll always be a step behind. Many times, if you just send it after making a decent read, you’ll find your way to the ball and make an incredible play. You have to trust your training and go for it.
During a football play, you see people lining up in an organized fashion, but that turns into chaos as soon as the ball is snapped. Ideally, for the offense, the play goes as planned, gaining yardage. The defense’s job is to disrupt this plan by blitzing or taking blockers out, forcing the ball carrier to adjust. Disruption is the name of the game for the defense, and when things are disrupted, big things usually happen—for better or worse.
To make a good play on defense, there has to be an element of risk coupled with educated anticipation. Without risk, you’re playing it safe, letting the ball carrier come to you, allowing the offense to gain more yards. If you rush in without reading the play, you’re a non-factor—the worst feedback you can get. Spend too much time reading, and you’ll never trigger and cause disruption. You need a balance of both.
The Risks Malik Mustapha Took
During that play, Malik Mustapha took several risks:
- Physical Risk: Eleven offensive and defensive linemen, each around 315 pounds, were moving at high speeds. One false move, and he could’ve been seriously injured, or worse, injured someone else.
- Personal Risk: Triggering downhill meant he was going full speed into a player moving just as fast. If he mistimed the tackle or the other guy wanted it more, he’d end up hurt or sidelined with a concussion for weeks. He was literally risking his health.
- Team Risk: As a safety, he’s the last line of defense. If he misses, it could mean a touchdown for the other team. His decision to attack meant putting his team at risk if he got it wrong.
But if you have a good read, have prepared with film study, practice, and personal preparation, and feel confident, it’s time to trigger.
“Most decisions should probably be made with somewhere around 70 percent of the information you wish you had…if you wait for 90 percent, in most cases, you’re probably being slow.” – Jeff Bezos
Why Waiting Can Be a Killer
Hesitation is the kryptonite of many football players—especially those who end up on the bench. Too often, players and people wait for the “perfect” moment to act. But waiting until you know 100% means you’re already too late.
The Regret of Holding Back
Looking back at my own football career, I don’t remember the times I made the play—I remember the times I held back and missed it. In those moments, I’d think, “Now is the time to go, trigger, GOOO!!” But hesitation held me back, and I failed to make the play.
Watching the game film later, it was clear to everyone that I hesitated, too afraid to trust my instincts. I wanted to avoid the mistake, but instead, I made a bigger one: I let fear hold me back.
Making plays means letting go of your fears and relying on your training, trusting that things will work out. You have no guarantees, but you have faith in your preparation. My fear and lack of courage kept me from embracing this truth sooner, and it took longer for me to learn from my mistakes.
As I tried to control the outcomes, I let go of the endless possibilities of success that God had in store for me. I wanted to control what I could see, but hiding behind what I couldn’t see could’ve been an endless supply of plays—and maybe a longer career.
Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
Trust and Faith in the Game of Life
In football and life, we cannot know everything before making a decision. Only God knows all. Trusting in His plan is what we’re here for. If we aim to accumulate all the information possible before acting, we unintentionally play God, believing we are in control. That’s pride—the ultimate sin—and it prevents us from reaping the rewards God has prepared for us.
Now What?
Sending it is a reflection of your faith in things unseen, in the spiritual world, in God’s kingdom. Those who “send it” on the football field don’t care if they look foolish when they fail because they understand that failure is part of the journey. We all fail. We all die. We are all imperfect—and that’s what makes us human.
Those who take the risk early and often trust in God’s plan and learn quickly, growing faster. The sky is the limit because they believe in the unseen possibilities, constantly pushing the boundaries.
If you can already see it, it’s already happened—it’s already too late. If you’re always in a place where you know what will happen, you’re not living in the abundant and infinite kingdom.
It’s about trusting your preparation and making the play. It’s having faith that taking a risk, being vulnerable, and challenging your comfort zone will pay off. You’re in this position for a reason. It’s time to let go of control and see what happens when you just go for it.
Whether it’s football or life, infinite possibilities lie just outside of your comfort zone. In every moment, you can push the boundaries of “what if” and see what God has in store. Only by “sending it” can you discover who God is and what He’s capable of.
The Bottom Line
In football, if you play it safe, you won’t ever make the play. It’s that simple. Football is a game of risk. The players who take risks, play fast, play downhill, and attack with reckless abandon are the ones who dominate. Those are the teams that are hard to beat.
Teams that play it safe—protecting their egos and holding back—are the teams that lose and keep losing.
Protect your ego, and you’ll stay comfortable, always stuck in your current environment. Push the limit, send it downhill, and risk it all!
What’s the worst that could happen? More importantly, what’s the best that could happen?
Just send it.
