From Carolina to the Cross: Former Panthers defensive back made in-game decision to leave football. Now he’s a pastor to 12,000 people

From Carolina to the Cross: Former Panthers defensive back made in-game decision to leave football. Now he’s a pastor to 12,000 people

INDIAN LAND, S.C. (CAROLINA SPORTS LIVE) -- You’d think it would have been a near-death experience that changed the path of former Panthers player Derwin Gray. However, as it turns out, it was just a run-of-the-mill football play.  “We were playing the Buffalo Bills in Buffalo, and their running back broke through the line,” Gray recalls, then a defensive back with the Carolina Panthers. “I just came up and smashed him. But at the bottom of that…

From Carolina to the Cross: Former Panthers player leaves football to become pastor to 12,000 people

INDIAN LAND, S.C. (WJZY) -- You’d think it would have been a near-death experience that changed the path of former Carolina Panthers player Derwin Gray. However, as it turns out, it was just a run-of-the-mill football play. “We were playing the Buffalo Bills in Buffalo, and their running back broke through the line,” Gray recalls, then a defensive back with the Carolina Panthers. “I just came up and smashed him. But at the bottom of that pile, I…