• Julian Cavazos •
• Originally published January 31, 2009 at 11:49 p.m., updated January 31, 2009 at 11:49 p.m.

Jerheme Urban is seeing firsthand the temptations the Super Bowl can present to NFL players.

Numerous strip clubs, football groupies and seemingly endless parties are all part of the scene in Tampa. Urban said, however, he is relying on his faith to keep his focus where it belongs - on football.

"It's a zoo out here," Urban said earlier this week after practicing at Raymond James Stadium, the site of Super Bowl XLIII. "Just being in Tampa with all the women around, the parties and everything, it would be extremely easy to be tempted and distracted all week if it wasn't for my faith."

He said that of the eight interviews he did Wednesday, only two were about football. The others pertained to topics such as his faith - something he is becoming nationally recognized for as an athlete.

"I've had more of a platform, sort of speak, to present my faith," he said of the interviews he held with members of the Christian media. "Many questions have been asked about it. I've never had that opportunity before."

For Urban, faith has been a priority for much of his life.

"It is the No. 1 thing for me," he said. "It's what I believe wholeheartedly and what I try to stand for every single day, whether at work or the way I prepare for the game, how I try to lead as a husband and, hopefully one day, it's going be the way that I parent my kids."

Urban, who was raised with a Lutheran and Methodist background in Victoria, spent his early years involved in church activities.

Rev. Laura Becker, who oversaw Nursery United Methodist Church when Urban was a child, remembers when he took part in a Christmas play as the angel Gabriel, in a cowboy version of Christ's birth.

"He just fit the role so well because of his ability to keep everything going," said Becker, who is now at First United Methodist Church in Goliad. "Jerheme is one of those infectious spirits. He lights up the room by who he is and how he carries himself."

The Rev. Barney Matocha of Trinity Lutheran Church in Victoria also watched Urban grow up. Urban attends this church when he returns to Victoria.

"I think Jerheme has put into practice his faith all through high school and college," Matocha said. "He's taken it with him wherever he's gone. That's a neat thing to see."

Growing up, Urban's idea of weekend fun was to spend it at home with his friends, said his mother, Rhonda Hooper of Victoria.

His buddies would get together and play the same sport he does now professionally - football.

"His dad (Wayne) would barbecue, and they'd all play flag football out in the yard," Hooper said. "He opened his home to his friends. He wouldn't feel a need to go out and drink."

When he went to college at Trinity University in San Antonio, one of the first things he did was find a church, his mother said.

He attended Alamo Heights Methodist Church, where he still worships during the off-season.

During the football season, Urban attends Bible study classes regularly, something his wife, Emily Urban, says has helped him stay focused on God and family.

"One of the biggest problems with football players is money," she said. "He's smart about knowing that football isn't going to last forever. He doesn't overspend. He still has the same truck from his freshman year of college."

ESPN analyst Brock Huard played with Urban while they were members of the Seattle Seahawks. Huard said he noticed early on that religion was an important part of Urban's life.

"I knew him when he was fresh into the NFL," Huard said. "He was humble enough to realize that he wasn't there just for NFL riches, glory or fame. He was there to be a better man, better husband and to grow in his faith."

Huard said that like with religion, Urban devotes himself to everything he does.

"His commitment and work ethic are two things that have really garnered the respect of all the organizations he's been with," Huard said.

Urban admitted that at first, the trials of his career were hard to accept, especially when he was cut twice by the Seahawks after injuring his foot, and then being cut again by the Cowboys after spending a season on the practice squad.

"I'm human like everybody else," he said. "I get mad. I get angry. Maybe there's times when I've felt unjustly released. But once I put my anger and the 'why me' and 'woe is me' thoughts behind me, I can truly come back to my faith and have peace with what's been put on my plate."

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