High school football coach who won SCOTUS case about praying on field resigns after one game
High school football assistant coach Joe Kennedy, who won back his job in 2022 after he said he was let go when he knelt in prayer after games, resigned from his position at Bremerton High School in Washington state after just one game.
Kennedy announced the decision in a statement on his website. He said he stepped down for "multiple reasons" that included "taking care of an ailing family member out of state." He is also writing a book he said will be published in October and that a movie about his life is in pre-production.
“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 wrote. "I will 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. That should be celebrated and not disrespected."
Kennedy's case rose all the way up to the Supreme Court after he claimed the school fired him in 2015 for kneeling in prayer at midfield after games. The school said they didn't fire him and that he simply did not apply to renew his contract after the season. The school also said it asked Kennedy to pray in a private location and away from students.
The Supreme Court sided with Kennedy in a 6-3 ruling on June 27, 2022.
Kennedy had been living full-time in Florida during the legal battle but returned to Bremerton for the school's first game — a 27-12 win. Afterward, he reportedly knelt at midfield for 10 seconds, according to the Associated Press. Kennedy was not joined by athletes or students in his time of prayer.
