High school football coach who got job back after praying on field resigns after 1 game

BREMERTON, Wash. — A high school football coach who made national headlines when he lost his job after praying on the field following a game in 2015 has resigned after returning to the sidelines for one game, KIRO-TV reported.

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Bremerton High School football coach Joe Kennedy confirmed in a statement posted Wednesday on his website that he had resigned, effective immediately.

“I believe I can best continue to advocate for constitutional freedom and religious liberty by working from outside the school system so that is what I will do,” Kennedy said. He added, “As I have demonstrated, we must make a stand for what we believe in. In my case, I made a stand to take a knee. I encourage all Americans to make their own stand for freedom and our right to express our faith as we see fit.”

Kennedy got his job back after the Supreme Court ruled last year that the Bremerton School District had violated Kennedy’s First Amendment rights with his dismissal.

He coached his first game back with Bremerton High School last week, KIRO reported.

With his resignation, Kennedy said he plans to “continue to work to help people understand and embrace the historic ruling at the heart of our case.”

“As a result of our case, we all have more freedom, not less,” he said. “That should be celebrated and not disrespected.”

In a statement obtained by KIRO, the Bremerton School District confirmed that it had received Kennedy’s resignation and that it was awaiting board approval, a move expected on Thursday. Officials declined to say more about Kennedy’s decision.