At the end of every Passover Seder, Jewish families around the world say the same hopeful words: “Next year in Jerusalem.” It is a prayer, a longing, and a declaration that God is not finished with His people or His city.
This week, that same longing surfaced in a very unexpected setting:
a low-scoring NFL game between the Miami Dolphins and the Washington Commanders in Madrid.
After the Dolphins won 16–13 in overtime, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was asked where else he would like to play, after games in Spain and in Frankfurt, Germany.
His answer surprised a lot of people.
“Shoot, it’d be pretty cool to go play in Jerusalem,”
Tua Tagovailoa said after the game.
For a Christian quarterback to say that publicly, in a season when Israel is under relentless criticism and pressure, is no small thing.
A Christian Quarterback Who Sees Israel
Tua has not been silent about Israel in the past.
On October 15, 2023, just days after Hamas’s massacre, he paused a postgame press conference to speak directly about what was happening.
“I didn’t really realize how bad things were in Israel,” he said.
“Just my thoughts, my prayers are out with those people in Israel.”
He also mentioned the suffering in Ukraine and Russia, but he did not ignore Israel or dismiss her pain. In a sports world that often avoids “controversial” topics, that choice mattered.
Now, after playing on international soil again, his first thought about “where next” was Jerusalem.
And that comment resonated.
“Next Year in Jerusalem…I Like the Sound of That”
One of the people who responded to Tua’s remark was Mike Huckabee, the United States Ambassador to Israel.
On X, he wrote:
“Tua is right. Bringing an NFL game to Israel is a great idea. Next year in Jerusalem…I like the sound of that.”
In an era when so many institutions are working to push Israel out of international spaces, the idea of bringing the most-watched sport in America into Jerusalem carries weight.
Sports, Pressure, and Israel’s Place in the World
Israel’s place in global sports has been increasingly contested.
EuroLeague basketball is weighing whether to return games to Israel.
In European soccer, voices have pushed to suspend or ban Israel from competitions, using accusations about “occupied territories” and “anti-racism” as pretexts.
Against that backdrop, a simple sentence — “It’d be pretty cool to go play in Jerusalem” — becomes more than a travel wish. It is a quiet statement that Israel is not a pariah, but a place worth visiting, enjoying, and honoring.
Seeds of American Football Already in Jerusalem
The infrastructure for American football in Jerusalem already exists.
New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft helped fund the Kraft Family Sports Campus in the city, which includes a regulation American football field. Next door, Gan Sacher is full of local kids and adults playing informal tackle and flag football games on weekends.
There are practical challenges to an NFL game in Jerusalem.
The city’s main stadium, Teddy Stadium, seats about 31,000 — far below the 47,000–86,000 that have filled NFL international games in places like London, Frankfurt, and now Madrid.
Even so, the image is powerful: players visiting the Western Wall, meeting Israeli families, and stepping onto a field in the city where God chose to place His name.
It would not resolve the growing anti-Israel sentiment across the US...
but it would send a powerful message.
For Modern-Day Esthers
For Christian women who love Israel (and football), this is a small but meaningful reminder that God still plants seeds of favor in unexpected places — even in post-game interviews and sports headlines.
While some work tirelessly to isolate Israel, others quietly say, “I’d like to go there.”
While some scream for boycotts, others dream about games in Jerusalem.
“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: ‘May those who love you be secure.’”
— Psalm 122:6, NIV
As modern-day Esthers, we can keep doing what we are called to do:
Pray for Jerusalem.
Bless those who bless Israel.
Thank God for every voice in the public square that refuses to be ashamed of His city and His people.
Source:
Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA), via coverage of Tua Tagovailoa’s postgame comments about playing in Jerusalem, November 2025
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