Two former Flames took football’s biggest stage on Feb. 8, suiting up for the New England Patriots in a clash with the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif.
DeMario “Pop” Douglas, a wide receiver for the Flames from 2019-22, became the second former Flames player to compete in a Super Bowl. Dwayne Carswell (’94), who played running back and tight end for the Flames, won Super Bowls XXXII and XXXIII with the Denver Broncos in 1997 and 1998.
Douglas is technically the third former Liberty student to play in a Super Bowl; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Nick Foles was taking graduate courses with Liberty University Online Programs when he led his team to victory in Super Bowl LII.
Working from the Super Bowl LX sideline was another former Flame, Tony Dews, the Patriots’ running backs coach. Dews played tight end for the Flames from 1992-95. Dews has also coached for the New York Jets and Tennessee Titans. He joined the Patriots in January 2025.
Tony Dews, 1994
Although the Patriots ultimately fell 29-13 to the Seahawks, Douglas performed well under the bright lights, hauling in a team-high five receptions for 45 yards.
Leading up to the big game, “Flames Central” spoke to Douglas in a virtual interview from his hotel room in Santa Clara.
“It’s a blessing (to play in the Super Bowl),” he said. “It’s definitely a childhood dream that’s coming true, that turned into reality. It’s a blessing to do this for Liberty too. It means a lot. Liberty was the best thing that could have happened to me. I met so many people and got closer with God and grew my faith. So, man, it means a lot to be able to do this and represent Liberty.
Douglas’ career with the Flames coincided with the program’s rise to the FBS level. He played in Liberty’s first bowl game as a full FBS member in 2019, helping the team win its first bowl trophy and two more in 2020 and 2021.
During his four seasons at Liberty, Douglas accumulated 2,193 total receiving yards and 17 offensive touchdowns and returned two punts for touchdowns. In his final year with the Flames, Douglas led the team with 993 receiving yards and scored seven total touchdowns.
DeMario Douglas, 2022
Douglas was selected by the Patriots in the sixth round of the 2023 NFL Draft and made an immediate impact his first year in Foxboro, Mass., with a team-best 561 yards as a rookie. Over the following two seasons, he continued to provide solid receiving support, recording three touchdowns in both 2024 and 2025. In New England’s playoff victory over the Houston Texans on Jan. 18, Douglas scored his first NFL postseason touchdown with a 28-yard fourth-down reception from second-year quarterback Drake Maye.
“(DeMario) is a great personality,” Patriots Head Coach Mike Vrabel told the Greg Hill Show in November. “He has a huge heart. He is a great teammate and always has a smile on his face. I love coaching him. I love being around him.”
Throughout his college and professional career, Douglas has remained consistent in living out his Christian faith with a servant’s heart.
In the fall, he joined forces with teammate Anfernee Jennings and several sponsoring companies to host turkey drives at multiple Boys & Girls Clubs in Massachusetts. In December, he visited Saint John Paul II Catholic Academy Lower Mills to meet with students, write out Bible verses, celebrate his birthday, and more.
(Top photo: AP Photo/Kevin Sabitu)
