Football Player, Rice University

Words by Jenny Lynn Davis | Images by Al Blanton 

He calls them The Three F’s: faith, family, and football. Those are the three tenets by which Brodie Vinson leads his life.

Vinson, a 2021 graduate of Jasper High School and former star of the Viking football team, has already begun football practice at Rice University in Houston, Texas. He will play defensive tackle for the Owls this season, facing the likes of Arkansas, Houston, and UAB. On Sept 18, Rice will travel to Texas Memorial Stadium to face off against the Texas Longhorns. 

"It’s like a dream come true,” Brodie says. “To be able to travel to Austin and play against a historic program like Texas in my first season is surreal. Growing up, I watched a lot of NCAA football games, and I never actually thought I would be in the position to go to a stadium like that and play.”

Brodie’s busy schedule barely allows him the time to sit down for an interview, but he knows that without the strictness of that schedule, he wouldn’t achieve the greatness he aims for in everything he undertakes. “The nonstop of having to get up at 5:00 a.m. for a morning run, going straight to breakfast, then having class right after that, and going back for weightlifting after class is not always something I want to do,” Brodie says. “But you have to embrace it and know that at the end of the day, it will be worth every second.”

Describing himself as a hardworking young man that is devoted to his craft, Brodie says one of his biggest goals is to achieve greatness. He is also hardworking and devoted because he strives to make his loved ones proud. 

After losing his father in a workplace accident when Brodie was four years old, he formed a very strong bond with his mother. “My mom is a big inspiration to me,” he says. “She has gone through so much and overcome things that would bring others to their breaking points, but she persevered and always made a way for us. She is an amazing mother, a truly marvelous woman, and I want to make both her and my dad proud.”

Brodie now relies on his faith to help him excel in all aspects of his life.  “My faith is important to me because that’s just how I was raised,” he says. “I’ve always been told I was blessed with God-given talent, and I took heed to that. My faith helps me do what I do because I always trust that the Lord is going to guide me based on His plan for me.”

When autumn rolls around and football stadiums and living rooms are once again filled with fans cheering on their favorite teams, Brodie will take the field, accomplishing his lifelong dream of playing college football. He knows he has the support of his loved ones, his love for the game, and his faith in God all on his side to help him reach his goal of achieving greatness. 78