Flames fans gear up to watch Patriots wide receiver DeMario Douglas in the Super Bowl

As the 2025 NFL season draws to a close, New England Patriots and former Flames Football wide receiver DeMario “Pop” Douglas seeks to etch his name into professional football and Liberty University program history by winning Super Bowl LX on Sunday. Members of Flames Nation across the country will be cheering him on.

“I just love seeing my football boys representing Liberty on the biggest platform in the NFL,” said longtime Flames fan and Flames Club member Kathy Hudson (’85). “(Douglas) was fun to watch here at Liberty and now he is making his mark with the Patriots in just three years. I even bought a case of his ‘pop’ that Avery Sodas put out in his honor. I am so proud of him and can’t wait to watch him get that Super Bowl LX ring.”

Douglas, who played with the Flames from 2019-22, will become the second former Flame to play in a Super Bowl. Dwayne Carswell (’94) won Super Bowls XXXII and XXXIII with the Denver Broncos in 1997 and 1998. (Douglas will be the third former student to play in the Super Bowl; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Nick Foles was a student with Liberty University Online Programs when he led his team to victory in Super Bowl LII.)

“Being a Pats fan for over 30 years and a Liberty fan for over 25 years, I was ecstatic when Pop was drafted by the Patriots,” said former Liberty student Jason Conrad. “For the last two years I told my wife the next jersey I wanted to get was a Douglas jersey. Can’t wait to cheer for him and the Patriots this weekend. Go Pats. Go LU.”

Flames Central recently spoke to Douglas, in a virtual interview from his hotel room in Santa Clara. He emphasized his pride in being able to compete for a league championship and represent Liberty on football’s biggest stage.

“It’s a blessing (to play in the Super Bowl). It’s definitely a childhood dream that’s coming true, that turned into reality,” he said. “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.”

[View the full interview.]

Billy Belcher, who played for the Flames in the 1970s, said he looks forward to cheering for Douglas as he represents Christ and his alma mater.

“Flames Nation is excited for Pop Douglas and will always remember his electrifying touchdown runs both as a receiver and a kick returner,” he said. “Beyond his talent on the field, Pop is a powerful testimony of faith in Christ and a true role model for our youth, someone all of Flames Nation can be proud of.”

Douglas isn’t the only Liberty connection to Super Bowl LX. Tony Dews, Patriots’ running backs coach, was a 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. (View an archive interview with Flames Central.)

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; Liberty reached three more bowl games during his tenure, winning the first three. Douglas recorded 22 receiving yards and a touchdown in Liberty’s 56-20 route of Eastern Michigan in the 2021 LendingTree Bowl.

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.

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 has 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.

Super Bowl LX kicks off at 6:30 p.m. EST on Sunday and will be broadcast on NBC.