How Marine-turned-coach Joe Kennedy's fight for prayer rights became 'Average Joe' the movie
The true, highly-publicized story of Coach Joe Kennedy — a Marine veteran turned high school football coach who fought to pray on the 50-yard line — takes center stage in the new film “Average Joe," raising the alarm about the erosion of religious freedom in the U.S.
Nearly a decade ago, Kennedy began his post-game prayers at Bremerton High School out of a personal conviction, kneeling at the 50-yard line to thank God for his team’s safety and to praise Him for His guidance.
Over time, the quiet gesture became a tradition, with players and even spectators joining him. But in 2015 everything changed when the school district suddenly ordered him to stop.
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Kennedy, however, wasn’t one to back down. He refused to let go of his right to express his faith, and that choice launched a seven-year legal battle that eventually reached the U.S. Supreme Court. In 2022, the court ruled 6-3 in his favor, affirming his right to pray.
Listen to Joe Kennedy share his story on the Politics in the Pews podcast
Actor Eric Close (“Without a Trace,” “Nashville”) stars as Kennedy in “Average Joe,” which hit theaters on Oct. 11. Rated PG-13, the film is based on Kennedy’s 2023 book of the same name and follows his upbringing in foster care, serving in the Marine Corps, becoming a football coach, his legal woes and eventual victory.
“Joe had been fighting his whole life,” Close told The Christian Post. “He had life experiences that were foreign to me. He didn’t experience the blessing of a loving family. Raised in the foster care system, Joe fought emotions of abandonment and loneliness. He fought for his life and those of his fellow Marines while serving in the United States Marine Corps. The only thing Joe did was surrender his life to God.”
Portraying Kennedy's strength
In preparing for the role, Close immersed himself in Kennedy’s memoir, Average Joe, gaining insight into the coach’s journey from foster care to the military to the football field. Close also drew on his own life experiences, including his family’s history of escaping communist oppression in post-World War II Europe.
“One thing I can tell you about Joe is that he loves our country and takes great pride in being an American,” Close said. “We share this in common. Personally, I come from a family that escaped communist oppression in Europe and found freedom in America following World War II. So I am profoundly honored and privileged to be an American.
The film doesn’t shy away from the challenges Kennedy faced, including the strain his legal battle placed on his marriage and the public criticism he endured. “Average Joe” shows a man who felt compelled by his faith to stand firm, even when it cost him.
“With God in his life, he fought for the survival of his marriage, which was bearing the weight of his battle for religious freedom and freedom of speech. It was impossible not to be inspired by Joe’s unwavering commitment to stay the course and stick to his convictions in the face of adversity. Also, he took on this fight for all Americans, not just himself,” Close said.
A Timely Message
The release of “Average Joe” comes at a moment when conversations about religious freedom are as relevant as ever. Close said the film is an important reminder of the significance of these freedoms — and the gradual erosion they can suffer if taken for granted.
At a “Politics in the Pews” event held by CP earlier this year, Kennedy warned that despite his victory, he's "very terrified" at the prospect of diminishing religious freedom in the U.S.
Before his ordeal, Kennedy said he "didn't understand how much power was given to the judicial branches,” adding: "And that scares me. That really scared me."
He noted how his case failed seven times in a row before reaching the Supreme Court and stressed that his case is evidence that God can use the unlikeliest of people to accomplish His purposes.
"All these lower courts ruled against me, saying that you do not have the right as an American to exercise your faith in public," he added. "If that doesn't scare the hell out of you, then I don't know what to say to you."
Close agreed that most often, freedom isn’t lost overnight; rather, “it erodes little by little until one day it’s gone.”
“We must not take our freedom in this country for granted. It is a privilege that so many the world over don’t have. I hope Average Joe reminds people of how precious our constitutional freedoms are and that they’re worth fighting for,” he said.
The film also speaks to issues close to Kennedy’s heart, including the importance of supporting children in the foster care system: “I hope Joe’s story sheds light on the reality that there are many children in the foster care system who long for a loving family. Perhaps the movie will encourage more people to adopt or foster. I could also see 'Average Joe' starting conversations about the honor of serving in the military and/or pursuing a career in the law,” Close said.
An Invitation to All
While “Average Joe” has already resonated with faith-based audiences — and earned favorable reviews across the board — Close emphasized that the film is meant for everyone. At its core, he said, it’s a story about the universal desire for purpose and the courage to stand up for one’s beliefs.
“‘Average Joe’ is a story for all Americans, whether you’re a person of faith or not. It will make you laugh and make you cry. It’s an underdog tale that will have audiences standing and cheering in the end,” he said.
Close said he hopes viewers will feel the same sense of resolve that carried Kennedy through his own battles — and find inspiration in the knowledge that, no matter how “average” they may feel, they are anything but in the eyes of God.
“My hope is for 'Average Joe' to be enthusiastically received by audiences across the country and the world over. I pray that Joe Kennedy’s story will remind viewers how fortunate we are to live in this great republic, what sacrifices it took to protect their freedom and that some things are worth fighting for,” he said.
"Average Joe" is now in theaters.
Leah M. Klett is a reporter for The Christian Post. She can be reached at: leah.klett@christianpost.com
