In a dramatic turn of events, Joe Kennedy, a former assistant football coach at Bremerton High School, Washington, has made a comeback to the sport after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled his post-game public prayers were constitutionally protected.
However, as he prepares to coach his first game since 2015, Kennedy admits to feeling a weight of anticipation, according to a report from The Associated Press.
“Knowing that everybody’s expecting me to go do this kind of gives me a lot of angst in my stomach,” said Kennedy.
He acknowledged concerns that his actions might be perceived as introducing religion into public schools, adding, “People are going to freak out that I’m bringing God back into public schools.”
The Bremerton School District initially asked Kennedy to ensure his prayers on the field were private or kept away from students.
They later opted not to renew his contract due to worries his actions would appear as a governmental endorsement of religion, thereby challenging the principle of church and state separation.
Kennedy’s seven-year-long legal battle became a significant point of discussion in the nation, as it posed questions about the religious rights of government employees versus the protection of students from religious influence.
Despite facing losses at the lower court levels, Kennedy finally found favor with the U.S. Supreme Court.
In the court’s decision, Justice Neil Gorsuch stated, “the best of our traditions counsel mutual respect and tolerance, not censorship and suppression, for religious and nonreligious views alike.”
The prolonged legal conflict led Kennedy’s life down paths he hadn’t foreseen.
With his memoir titled “Average Joe” set to launch next month and his involvement with prominent political figures like Donald Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, he’s achieved national recognition.
Regarding DeSantis’s offer to be on his faith advisory board, Kennedy expressed his allegiance to Trump: “Well, I’m sorry. My loyalty is to Trump.”
Now 54 and a resident of Florida, Kennedy is uncertain about his commitment to football.
Although he felt obligated to return to his less than $5,000 part-time job in Washington, his future in coaching beyond the upcoming game remains a question.
“So many people are asking, ‘What’s next?’ And I have no idea,” admitted Kennedy.
In the past, Kennedy’s actions drew notable attention, including a protest in 2015 when members of the Satanic Temple of Seattle attended a Bremerton High School football game.
Kennedy remains focused on his immediate future, sharing, “We’ll make some decisions of what’s next in our life, because obviously it’s not going to be football forever,” hinting at the possibility of transitioning to ministry work.
Bremerton School District is eager to move forward, stating, “We look forward to moving past the distraction of this nearly 8-year legal battle so that our school community can focus on what matters most: providing our children the best education possible.”
