Darius Holland won a Super Bowl with the Packers, then pivoted to the church and military. He shares his journey in this episode of the GWOT “Welcome Home” podcast series.
Darius Holland won a Super Bowl ring but found a deeper purpose in serving as a U.S. Army chaplain.
After playing in the NFL for 10 seasons, including with the Green Bay Packers when they won the Super Bowl in 1997, the Rev. Holland found his calling as a chaplain in the U.S. Army Reserve and as a pastor of 20 years. He currently specializes in religious practices and coaching that bridges cultural gaps and fosters spiritual readiness, especially within the military community.
“Going from the NFL to church ministry was one of the biggest transitions I’ve had,” he explains as the special guest in the fifth episode of the Global War on Terrorism Memorial Foundation’s six-part special podcast series, “Welcome Home,” produced by The American Legion. The series is hosted by Army veteran Jennifer Ballou.
“You wear the uniform but people don’t understand that uniform is part of your identity,” he says. “As much as we say that uniform is not who we are it is a hard thing to dismiss. Having to shed that was difficult.”
Transitioning from the NFL was challenging for Holland.
“What’s my identity? What am I going to do?” he says. “The beautiful thing was that I had the church. I completely gave myself to church ministry.”
An alum of the University of Colorado at Boulder, Holland received his Master of Theological Studies from Golden Gate Theological Seminary and a Doctor of Ministry from Gateway Seminary of the Southern Baptist Convention.
A tragedy led him on a path to military service.
Holland recalls when a veteran was lost to suicide near his home. When the first responders came, Holland prayed with and for everyone at the scene, which led to his personal discovery.
“That’s when I realized there were people in the military who need someone to help them transition through the different life cycles we go through,” he says. “That’s when I decided to transition to the Army, and it’s been a great decision for my family and me.”
Holland is a member of the foundation’s Design Advisory Council, which is guiding the design of the GWOT memorial to be erected near the National Mall in Washington, D.C. He recalls when his father returned from Vietnam with “night terrors,” now known as post-traumatic stress disorder. Holland still carries the burden of moral injury, which helped him connect with those in similar situations.
“To see that I could help them see what God was intending for them to understand, take that load off their shoulders, let them know here’s where you need to repent and change but here’s where you were in the design of God in those moments,” he says. “It helps them navigate the waters. My part is to help and enable individuals and help them come back home. I’m so grateful for my part in it.”
Each episode of the GWOT Welcome Home series is available at legion.org/tangoalphalima, Spotify, Apple Podcasts and other major podcast-hosting sites.
- Tango Alpha Lima