By Sunday 
It’s not every Sunday that church makes headlines—but when it does, it usually involves something more than hymns and handshakes. That was exactly the case at Our Lady of the Visitation in Green Township, Ohio, where former Detroit Lions long snapper Jake McQuaide caused a stir that’s now making national news.
From the NFL to the Pew
McQuaide, a Cincinnati native and two-time Pro Bowler, isn’t exactly known for drama. The long snapper has spent over a decade in the NFL with teams like the Rams, Cowboys, Vikings, Dolphins, and most recently, the Lions. But this time, it wasn’t football that got him attention—it was faith, frustration, and a microphone-free confrontation at his hometown church.
According to a report from WCPO-TV in Cincinnati, McQuaide stood up during Mass and directly questioned church leadership over a scandal involving a local priest accused of viewing pornography on a church computer.
“True or False?”
The tension hit a boiling point when Jason Williams, chancellor of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, read a letter from Archbishop Robert Casey. The letter claimed the allegations had “been investigated, and no wrongdoing, either criminally or ecclesiastically — has been substantiated.” It also noted that the accused priest would be taking a “planned sabbatical.”
That didn’t sit well with McQuaide.
Video shared with WCPO shows the former Lion rising from his pew and asking aloud:
“We want to put these rumors to rest. Can you answer this for me … fact or fiction?”
When church officials told him it wasn’t the appropriate time or place for such questions, McQuaide pushed back:
“I’m sorry, sir, this is the time and the place. I will stand up … Did the priest use our parish computer to look at pornography? True or false?”
Escorted, But Not Arrested
While no charges were filed, police on-site—preemptively present due to heightened tension around the weekend masses—escorted McQuaide out of the church. The incident wrapped peacefully, but the message was clear: not everyone was willing to sit silently.
A Deeper Undercurrent
This incident didn’t come out of nowhere. Like many Catholic communities grappling with transparency and trust, members of the parish were already unsettled. McQuaide’s public stand reflects what many feel privately—frustration with vague language and a longing for accountability.
Who Is Jake McQuaide?
For those unfamiliar, McQuaide played nine games for Detroit in 2023, but his resume stretches much longer. He spent his early NFL days with the Rams, followed by short stints with the Cowboys, Vikings, and Dolphins. Off the field, he’s a Cincinnati kid through and through—an Elder High School alum and Ohio State Buckeye.
Now a free agent, McQuaide may be between teams, but clearly, he hasn’t lost his voice—or his conviction.
Final Thoughts
Whether you view Jake McQuaide’s Sunday stand as righteous or reckless, one thing is clear: the days of staying quiet in the pews may be numbered. As communities demand clearer answers from institutions they trust, athletes, alumni, and average parishioners alike are showing that silence isn’t always golden.
Sometimes, it takes a long snapper to make a long-overdue point.