UNPACK this...The Value of a HuddleSýnishorn

What Happened To The Huddle?  

When you think about the game of football, many images and words come to mind, but one of the most distinct elements of the sport is a “huddle.” Teams circle up to discuss the next play and secretly make adjustments, while also challenging and encouraging each other to win the game.

As a kid playing backyard football with my brothers and friends, I always enjoyed huddling up in anticipation of scoring a touchdown. Putting our arms on each others’ shoulders created a sense of teamwork, and saying “ready break” in unison made it especially exciting.

As important as the huddle has been (since the 1890s), there’s a trend that shows teams are going away from huddling up before each play. Quarterbacks now commonly make signals for the play call as they rush their teammates to the line of scrimmage to quickly hike the ball. 

This makes sense for scoring more points and running more plays, but something else is getting lost. Former Dallas Cowboys quarterback, Roger Staubach, has admitted the huddle is a powerful place on the field for players to see who’s hurt or tired or “spitting mad.”

Likewise, huddling up and taking time to fellowship with friends and family is important for us as followers of Jesus. We're not only able to witness similar things as Staubach explained, but pause to encourage and challenge one another to keep going and work together to keep winning.

We miss out on a lot in our lives when we run the “no-huddle” by not fellowshipping or gathering and circling up with each other – especially with this season of social distancing.

Today as we think about Staubach’s positive perspective on a football huddle, let’s embrace finding our own huddle and closely follow Jesus together.

Let’s be challenged by Hebrews 10:24-25 to “…think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of His return is drawing near.”

I’m Bryce Johnson and you can UNPACK that!

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, please help me slow down long enough to encourage and put my arms around others. Teach me ways to huddle up with people so that I can be challenged by them and be by their side when they’re hurt, tired, or angry. I pray this in Jesus’ name, Amen.