Good Luck Rituals Some Sports Stars Swear By
Good Luck Rituals Some Sports Stars Swear By
Good luck. We put a lot of merit in those two words. We have no proof there even is such a thing. We do know that sometimes good things just happen for us. We don’t know why. Maybe you want to call it karma, fate, coincidence, or just timing. All we know is sometimes the sun shines a little brighter, and the flowers smell a little sweeter. Sometimes we land the account we have been working on. Sometimes the really attractive coworker asks us to lunch. Sometimes, we win the lottery bet we placed online. Sometimes, we sure feel lucky.
A lot of our favorite football players feel pretty strongly about their luck on the field. So much so they will not go out unless they have made sure all their lucky rituals are in place. Some of these athletes are from the NFL, and others from the Football Leagues in the UK. But they feel the same about their rituals. These are rituals that they feel have helped them win in past games, and they feel they need them to ensure wins in future games. So, read along as we list some football good luck rituals with you. Who knows? You might see some you want to try. So here we go.
Marshawn Lynch – Skittles
Running Back (retired), Seattle Seahawks
Marshawn Lynch had a colorful pregame ritual that carried through his entire career Before each game, he would be seen munching on a handful of Skittle candies. Fans got used to seeing this and would often toss him bags of candy before the games. This may not have been the most healthy choice for a healthy sports star, but he continued to have his sweet treat.
His mother eventually explained that when Lynch was a child of 12 or 13, she would give him a handful of Skittles before his games, telling him they were his ‘Power Pellets” and they would make them “run fast.”
Lynch finished his playing career with 9,112 yards rushing and 74 rushing touchdowns. He also played an instrumental role in delivering Seattle its first Lombardi Trophy. I guess they worked.
John Henderson – Face Slap
Former Jacksonville Jaguars and Oakland Raiders defensive tackle
John Henderson had a violent good luck ritual. He believed his first hit of the day was hit luck one, and he wanted to make it count. The hit got his blood pumping, and he was ready to take on his opposing team. He would ask a trainer to slap him across his face just before going out to the game. He insisted on the slap to be a hard hit.
He finished his playing career with an impressive 489 tackles, 29.0 sacks, and 45 passes defended. He was also named to two Pro Bowls.
Tom Brady – Blinding Sun
New England Patriots quarterback
Tom Brady had a unique (if somewhat dangerous) ritual that he believed brought luck to the team. Before each game, Brady takes his receivers to a spot on the field where the sun will be in their eyes during afternoon games. To prepare his pass-catchers for game-day adversity, he forces them to stare into the sun when looking for passes.
Brady has helped deliver six Super Bowl appearances and four victories during his time with the Patriots.
John Terry – Various superstitions
Chelsea Captain (former)
John Terry admits to being very superstitious, and he and his teammates had a list of rituals they practiced before a game. If they won their game, they would often add to the list. Some of their rituals included:
- Using the same urinals
- Listening to the same Usher music to the ground
- Terry used the same shin pads for 10-years
- Terry taped his socks exactly 3-times
Perhaps the most involved and our favorite footballer rituals come from Thibaut Courtois. His series of unusual pregame superstitions are detailed and exact. He has made the top of our list. Here is what we have learned.
Thibaut Courtois – Spanish Club Real Madrid & Belgium National Team
Goalkeeper
Ritual includes:
- Entered the stadium at a specific time
- Tests his girlfriend that he is changing clothes and not to text him until the game has ended
- He goes to the bathroom and takes a selfie of himself sitting on the toilet, and texts it to 4 of his friends in Belgium.
- He puts on his left sock and left shoe first (he is left-handed)
- Before leaving for the field, he wets the tip of his gloves
- When reaching the goal he hits the goal post with his boot and punches the middle of the goal net.
After all of this, he says he enters a trance and cannot be distracted.
Do these superstitions help these men win their games and go on to become superstars? We don’t know. We do know that they believe there is enough merit in the thought that they continued to carry them out. The one thing you cannot argue with is this. They were successful beyond their wildest dreams.
Posted: 10th, April 2021 | In: Sports Comment | TrackBack | Permalink
