KhaDarel Hodge had no words to describe what transpired on Thursday night in Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Hodge, in his seventh NFL season, did not have a single reception on the season for the Falcons to begin the game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. However, after securing his second catch of the night in what was a career night for quarterback Kirk Cousins, Hodge broke a tackle and saw daylight.
It was overtime, he had a chance to win the game with a touchdown, and he did exactly that as he hit a burst of speed past all the Bucs defenders to send the Falcons home crowd into a frenzy.
Hodge was lifted in the air by his teammates, while the entire stadium was celebrating as the Falcons improved to 3-2, while the Bucs own the same record now.
During a post-game interview on “Thursday Night Football,” Hodge was asked to describe his game-winning score – a 45-yard catch-and-run – and he initially could not find the words.
Then, he turned to his faith.
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“God is real, God is good. I prayed for this,” he said to Prime Video’s Kaylee Hartung. “I can’t even – I don’t even know what to say right now, bro. It’s so surreal. God is real, that’s all I can say. I prayed for this. I pray for this every week. I’m still soaking it in right now.”
As Hodge caught his breath, still staring into the stands with tear-filled eyes, he discussed the opportunity he knew he had to capitalize on after Drake London, his star teammate who had 12 catches for 154 yards with a touchdown, went down with an injury.
“I knew I had to step in,” Hodge said. “[London] went down, I knew I had to step in for my brother and for my team. I gotta do what I need to do, take advantage of my opps. God was on my side, I just did what I had to do.”
Hodge, a 29-year-old undrafted free agent who is in his third season with the Falcons, had just one receiving touchdown in 93 career games before breaking the goal line to cause a massive celebration in Atlanta.
He made the most of his opportunity when his number was called, which is all any athlete wants to do.
However, while knowing he had the skill to make a play like that come to fruition, Hodge believes faith also had a major role in seeing his once-in-a-lifetime football moment through.
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