Can you actually find anyone who believes it literally? Honest question. I just watched the video, and it seems to me that he is saying it figuratively and not literally.
Coach is saying that these people actually believe that he has been "defending religion", not that they believe that he has literal wounds all over his body from it.
You seem to be the one taking things a bit too literally.
But this thread is full of people saying that they think he meant it literally and people believe it literally. And I think, although I could be wrong, that is what the top level commenter is getting at.