Grit Like Britt: Coach’s son proved inspiration for Kings’ surprising USF title

By RUSS BROWN • Photos Provided

When the Louisville Kings' inaugural football season was threatening to veer off the rails when it had barely gotten started, first-year head coach Chris Redman was undaunted. If there was any time that he had been inclined to discouragement all he had to do was think about his son, a cancer survivor.

In the end, Britt Redman's courage, toughness, and perseverance became a valuable blueprint for the Kings' unlikely charge to the United Football League (UFL) championship last month after an 0-3 start.

Britt was diagnosed with testicular cancer in November 2023 during his junior football season at Christian Academy of Louisville (CAL), where he was a standout wide receiver. Tumors had spread to his neck and abdomen.

 "He had a football-size tumor in his stomach, about like this," Chris Redman said, pointing to a large solid glass football that was one of the awards the team received, "and he beat it."

Ultimately, Britt underwent six surgeries and numerous chemotherapy treatments. He wasn't able to attend school, but set a goal of returning for his senior season. He was declared cancer-free in the spring of 2024, and the following fall he was back on the field helping CAL win its third straight Kentucky High School Athletic Association 3A football championship. He was named the Male Comeback Athlete of the Year by UK HealthCare Sports Medicine. He has now been cancer-free for more than two years.

Chris relied on that stressful experience when the Kings got off to their rough start before turning their season around and winning seven of their last eight games, capping their remarkable about-face with a 27-20 win over the DC Defenders at Audi Field in the Nation's Capital.

"Amazing where we came from," Redman said. "But it's not how you start, it's how you finish. And these guys  (his players) have a lifelong lesson that no matter what happens in life you can fight back. I learned that from my son. When our family went through that it was something I'll never forget, and we can use that as a positive now.

"When you go through tough times you don't have to stay there. You battle your way out of it. What a great example he showed me. That was a big part of my messages to this team the whole year. Hey, don't ever doubt yourself and don't ever quit, and these guys rallied back."

Much like Britt.

"He inspires me every day," Chris said. "I saw a lot of warriors during my time in the NFL, but Britt is the toughest warrior I have ever seen. I saw what he went through and what the medication did to his body -- it breaks down all your cells -- and he just kept fighting. He never said, 'Why me?' or 'Why is this happening?' Just the next task up. 'What do I have to beat today?' And he did it. He beat it -- cancer free."

Britt is getting ready to start his sophomore season at the University of Mississippi, where he plans to earn a business degree in real estate. In addition to his education he is focused on helping other pediatric cancer patients with the "Grit Like Britt Foundation" started by him and his father, which primarily at this early stage provides video consoles and games to patients throughout their treatment.

"I saw kids younger than me that were going through harder things than me," Britt said. "Whenever I got through it, I knew that I could help those kids out. I'm a Christian believer and He puts you on the earth for that purpose, to prove that you're a warrior and be an inspiration to others."

Last year, Britt's cancer story so impressed ESPN sportscaster Dick Vitale that he invited him to film a video and give a speech to 1,000 people at the V Foundation's annual Dick Vitale Gala with all proceeds going to the Dick Vitale Pediatric Cancer Research Fund.

"Britt was terrific," Vitale told WDRB's Rick Bozich following the event. "After we showed the video of everything he battled -- losing all that weight and then coming back to win another state championship -- everybody in the room was cheering. Then he gave a great speech. He did a perfect job of setting the tone of what the night was all about." Britt was named a member of the gala's All-Courageous team.

Chris Redman also showed courage -- although obviously not in a life-or-death matter like his son -- in making a series of bold changes in his debut as a head coach level that reversed the trajectory of the Kings' season and paved the path to their surprising championship.

Along the way to the championship, the Kings players gave their coach a nickname: "The Mayor." 

"Whatever he says, whatever he wants to do, it happens," quarterback Chandler Rogers told The Courier-Journal.

"We just got hot and won a lot of games at the end of the year," Redman said. "It kind of reminded me of when the (Baltimore) Ravens won the Super Bowl. We were gonna find a way. Doesn't matter if we're down three or 30, we're gonna end up winning the game. No one batted an eye when this team got down (16-7 at halftime) in the title game and we just kind of chipped our way back."

Redman and his players weren't the only ones who kept the faith. Fans kept coming, even though there was no indication whatsoever for most of the season that they would be rewarded with a championship. In five home games, the Kings drew 55,795 fans to Lynn Family Stadium, an average attendance of 11,195, which ranked second in the league.

"Our support was amazing, even through the tough times," he said. "We lost some games early in the season, but the fans just kept showing up. They never doubted us, never wavered, and we showed Louisville what professional football is all about. This is an incredible example of grit; everybody battles something."

The title meant more to Redman than it would have to most other coaches because he's a hometown guy, the son of legendary high school coach, Bob Redman, and a star at Male High who spurned offers from every big-time college football program in America as National Player of the Year to stay true to his roots and rewrite the record book as the University of Louisville quarterback.

"Just so happy we got to take a trophy back to Louisville," he said.

For information on how to donate to the Redmans' charity, go to GritLikeBritt.org.