Joe Kennedy is a former Washington high school football coach who was fired after praying in the middle of the field after a football game. His case went to the Supreme Court in Kennedy v. Bremerton School District, where the Court ruled 6-3 that the government may not suppress religious observance.

Federal Newswire

How did your praying lead to controversy?

Coach Joe Kennedy

It is something that every American should be doing and could be doing anywhere. It started out [with] just myself. It was my covenant with God. When I started coaching, I said I was going to give glory to God after every single game, win or lose.

As time went on, my players saw me out there and they asked, “Coach, what are you doing out there?” I said, “I'm just [thanking] God for what you guys did.” They wanted to come out. I said, “[it is a] free country, you could do whatever you want.” Over the years it grew and grew. This went on for eight years.

Nobody ever said anything. In the eighth year, somebody saw what we were doing and gave a compliment to our principal [on] what he saw. Lawyers got involved… and said, “I think we can navigate through this. Just stop praying with your team.” I did. I just wanted to coach, I didn't care. My covenant was with God. I started praying just by myself. 

Then, the other team came out and joined me. What do you do with that? In Washington [you] cannot encourage nor discourage. [I was told to] tell them that they can't come out. Telling them they can't come out is almost as bad as telling them they have to come out.

They gave me a letter and said that if you continue to pray in public, [we] are going to give you a suspension until you comply with the school district's policies of not praying in public. I said, “I can’t do that. I don't know if you're aware of the First Amendment.” I guess [they] weren't.

At that time, I had to choose between my job and my faith. That was an easy one. I had to be the leader by example.

Federal Newswire

Did the school count on the fact that you would not risk your job over this? 

Coach Joe Kennedy

Absolutely. They thought I would give up after the first time I lost, and the second and third. But I knew what the First Amendment says. It was absolutely worth fighting for. This was not right. This was over a 30-second prayer. This is not newsworthy. I don't even know how this made it to court.

Federal Newswire

What offended the school district?

Coach Joe Kennedy

I wish I had that answer. I really do. I challenge these people to sit down with me. I did sit down with [a] local president of [one] group in Washington who came and protested one of my games. I said “let's sit down and have lunch.” He took me up on it. He ended up telling me a Bible story and joined my side. He understood that this was a First Amendment thing, and not really a huge religious thing.

Federal Newswire

How did the discussion unfold?

Coach Joe Kennedy

I invited him and… he took me up on it. I took him to Noah's Ark, which is our favorite hangout. The name is perfect. We're sitting there and I said, “go ahead, unload.” He did. It was like a double-barreled shotgun. I wanted to understand why he was against me.

He had a lot of valid concerns, and misconceptions about what I was doing and why I was doing what I was doing. I had to just laugh at it because I thought, “you know nothing about us.” It ended up where I told him what I did, and had him talk to some of my guys. 

That guy was totally on my side after that. It was so cool to see the turnaround.

Federal Newswire

How did you feel when you got the call to let you know you won your case? 

Coach Joe Kennedy

I was sitting in the office with First Liberty [the law firm that directed the case] down in Plano, Texas. We [said,] “Wow, what do [we] do now?” We all looked around stunned, and we gave each other high-fives. We did 87 interviews in three days. We didn't get time to celebrate.

Federal Newswire

What was it like to step back on the field at Bremerton? 

Coach Joe Kennedy

I want to say it was awesome, but it was scary. My heart was beating a million miles an hour. But I have to portray the “tough guy” to the coaches, [and] confidence, of course. But it felt so good. It felt like I was right the whole time. It just felt really good.

Federal Newswire

Is a biopic coming out?

Coach Joe Kennedy

A book just came out a couple months ago–“Average Joe.” I think I'm a little below average, but it tells my life story. It comes out in theaters this fall. Eric Close and Amy Acker are the stars, and it's terrific.

We just saw the trailer. We're showing the trailer this week, and I tell you, I lost it. As a tough Marine, I lost it.

It goes all the way. It tells an inspiring story of some guy who was an unwanted pregnancy–who was in and out of group homes and foster homes, and who nobody wanted and was in the most trouble in the world–and how God could take the simplest person who you'd least like, and do something with him. 

Imagine what he could do with guys like you and everybody else out there… if they just get off their butts and do something.

Now I'm just going around the country. I'm helping people with their First Amendment rights, and getting them out there to vote, and to be active in their schools and their communities.