Joe Kennedy, the high school football coach who recently won his landmark case defending his right to pray on the field after he was fired for doing so, is now planning on leaving the profession. According to Faithwire, Kennedy feels it is the “right time” for him to resign from his position as coach despite his win for religious freedom and returning to the job he fought for years to get back.
Kennedy shared that his decision to leave was influenced largely by the needs of his family, citing health issues on his wife’s side. He also explained that the school made it “abundantly clear” that they didn’t really want him there. Kennedy said that he wanted to “end on a high note” and retire on his own terms rather than someone else’s.
At his first game back, Kennedy, who is set to release a book next month “Average Joe: The Coach Joe Kennedy Story,” said that it felt “amazing” to be back on the field, kneeling and praying at the 50-yard line. Kennedy was grateful that there weren’t any protests at the game, which he says would have distracted the players. On the contrary, Kennedy received overwhelming community support.
“The people that don’t understand and think that I did something wrong, they just need to take a history lesson. … Free speech is something that’s great in America, and I fought to defend that, and I will stand up for everyone’s right, even if they don’t agree with me and they’re protesting me,” said Kennedy.
Kennedy said that his Supreme Court case, Kennedy v. Bremerton School District, is not just a win for him and Christians, but a win for everyone. He hopes that his story will inspire others to stand up for what they believe in as well.