Ben Utecht … Former pro-football player, current inspirational music artist, and follower of Jesus.
This Super Bowl winning player, known for his faith both on and off the field, was born June 30, 1981 in Rochester, MN. He graduated from Hastings Senior High School in Hastings, MN where he helped lead the Raiders to three State Semi-Final or Finals appearances. He then went on to play college football for the University of Minnesota. After college, Utecht was signed by the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted free agent in 2004. He earned a Super Bowl ring with the Colts in Super Bowl XLI in 2007. Utecht went on to play for the Cincinnati Bengals until 2009, when he suffered a concussion during practice which ended his pro-football career.
Utecht now focuses his time as an inspirational music artist who has collaborated with friends like Jeremy Camp, Sandi Patty, Nathan Nockels, and Mark Harris. When asked about his successes (in an April 2009 article in Christianity Today), Utecht responds, “My identity is as a Christian, not a football player or musician. In music and sports, the things people are doing become who they are. While people come to hear my testimony as a professional athlete, or see me as a musician, it is who I am as a believer in Christ that I want people to see.”
Ben and his wife, Karyn Stordahl-Utect (2005 Miss Minnesota), are the parents of 3 young daughters.
To hear Ben Utecht go to: www.benutecht.com