Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry told rookie kicker Tyler Loop to “trust God’s plan” after a missed field goal in the final minutes of Sunday’s game against the rival Pittsburgh Steelers cost them a spot in the NFL playoffs.
Henry, a five-time Pro Bowl selection who is regarded as one of the league’s premier running backs, addressed this disappointment during postgame remarks Sunday, reflecting on his interaction with Loop after the game.
“I feel for Tyler,” Henry explained. “I talked to him. I just told him just to keep his spirits up … deal with it tonight and tomorrow, the sun rises again. I just told him that … the story after this is going to be great for him because … God put him in this position to use him as an example … to something that is adversity, and then I can’t wait to see him overcoming on the other side, but I just told him to trust God’s plan.”
“[God] wouldn’t put him in a position if he wasn’t strong enough to handle it,” Henry added. “It’s tough right now, but I think when it’s all said and done, he will look back on it and appreciate the moment.”
During his rookie campaign, the 24-year-old kicker drafted by the Ravens in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft made 30 of the 34 field goals he attempted. Loop was perfect on field goal attempts between 40 and 49 yards until he missed the 44-yard field goal in the final seconds of Sunday’s game.
Loop himself discussed his faith and how it helped him cope with the loss after the game.
“I had written down … a little prayer before the game and was just rereading it,” he said. “Faith is a big part of my life and … right now, I’m reading the book of Romans. And in Romans 8, it says, ‘God works for the good of those who love him. We’re called according to his purpose.’”
“It’s a verse that just reminds me … ultimately, I’m here to love on the guys around me, and I’m here to try and have their back and be a good teammate and be a good representative of the organization and steward the gifts I’ve been given because it’s … such a fortunate thing to be here,” Loop continued. “Even going back, like just being placed in Baltimore with this team has been the biggest blessing of my life and … I’m super grateful for it. It’s been incredible, so I’m just … reminding myself that ‘Hey, God has got my back even when stuff sucks.’”
Safety Alohi Gilman also mentioned God’s providence in his advice for Loop.
“I’ve been through some tough losses, a couple in the playoffs,” Gilman said. “I’ve made my own mistakes as well. You never second-guess. You prepare all you can, and you let God handle the rest. So Tyler [Loop] will be good. He’s obviously devastated right now. We just put our arms around him, and we’ll go move on from there.”
Ryan Foley is a reporter for The Christian Post. He can be reached at: ryan.foley@christianpost.com
