47-year-old pastor makes college football team as DE
· Yahoo Sports
College football is currently experiencing an influx of experienced players coming back to the sport from the NFL. The sport’s been rocked in recent weeks with high-profile coaches complaining about the leniency of players returning to college fields this fall.
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However, Justin Buzzard is making his own waves on social media after revealing his intentions of playing college football as a 47-year-old pastor.
It’s an extremely unconventional story, but Buzzard’s ambitions are giving many other older players their own hopes of returning to the sport they love.
Buzzard intends on playing for the San Jose City College Jaguars in 2026 as a defensive end. Meanwhile, this marks the first time he’ll be on a competitive football field in nearly 30 years.
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Pastor makes unlikely college football journey
Priests, seminarians and laity gather for Border Mass 250 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Nogales. Credit: USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect (Reuters)The pastor enters a locker room with players nearly three decades younger than him. However, he recognizes that his path won’t be easy and embraces the challenges that come his way.
“No one’s going easy on me… and I’m not going easy on them,” Buzzard told Fox & Friends First. “I’m giving them everything I’ve got, too.”
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The Sacramento native is listed at 6-feet 2-inches and 210 pounds as he prepares for his freshman campaign.
San Jose City opens their 2026 season on Aug. 29 against Redwoods, which could be the first time the faith figure sees the field. It’s clear that if Buzzard succeeds then this will become even more of a feel-good story in the future.
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