More Latter-day Saints are headed to the NFL. Here’s what they can expect

Kansas City’s Daniel Sorensen (49) huddles with teammates before a preseason game in Seattle in 2017. Sorensen is one of several Latter-day Saints playing in the NFL. | Elaine Thompson, Associated Press

Editor’s note: This is the first of a two-part series on what it’s like to be a Latter-day Saint football player in the NFL.

What is life in the National Football League like for a Latter-day Saint?

A number of former college players who belong to the global faith are about to find out.

BYU’s Zach Wilson and Oregon’s Penei Sewell were among the top players selected in this past weekend’s 2021 NFL Draft. Wilson was the second overall pick by the New York Jets and the Detroit Lions took Sewell at No. 7.

NFL teams drafted four other Latter-day Saint players on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, then signed an additional six as undrafted free agents over the weekend.

To show what life as a Latter-day Saint is like in the NFL, the Deseret News spoke with current, former and drafted players, including Kansas City’s Daniel Sorensen, former Philadelphia Eagle Chad Lewis, former Pittsburgh Steeler Chris Hoke, former NFL quarterback John Beck and newly drafted Carolina Panther Brady Christensen.

DAN LOH, Associated Press

Former Philadelphia tight end Chad Lewis reacts after catching the winning touchdown pass against the Dallas Cowboys Sunday, Oct. 26, 1997, in Philadelphia. Lewis is one of many Latter-day Saints who have played in the NFL.

Chad Lewis

Lewis was a rookie and undrafted free agent signee when he approached then-Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Jon Gruden during his first NFL training camp and asked point blank if he would make the team.

Gruden responded with an unexpected question: “Hey, didn’t you go on like a mission thing or something?”

Lewis confirmed he was a missionary for two years in Taiwan.

“Aren’t you older?” the coach said.

“Yes,” said the 25-year-old tight end.

“I want you to act like it,” said Gruden, who is now the head coach of the Oakland Raiders. “You are not another rookie, another young guy. You’ve had experiences out in the world doing cool stuff. I want you to bring all of that to the table,” Lewis said Gruden told him.

Lewis embraced the message and went on to a productive eight-year NFL career, primarily with the Eagles.

“He was saying, ‘You come to practice and you play with that kind of wisdom and experience,’” Lewis said. “‘Don’t act like a young buck.’”

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints stand out as they strive to live their standards and reflect their beliefs while competing at the highest level of professional football, and while playing football in what Beck described as an “environment of desensitization” where explicit language is commonplace.

Latter-day Saint NFL veterans shared stories about responding to gospel questions from teammates, adjusting to vulgar locker rooms, missionary service and the how their faith has been a source of strength in times of adversity.

Chris Hoke

Former Cougar, Chris Hoke, had a similar experience as a rookie in Pittsburgh. Once in the middle of a hitting drill, a coach randomly asked Hoke how many wives he had?

Mark Humphrey, Associated Press

Former Pittsburgh defensive tackle Chris Hoke celebrates with fans after the Steelers defeated Arizona, 27-23, in Super Bowl XLIII, Sunday, Feb. 1, 2009, in Tampa, Fla. Hoke is one of many Latter-day Saints who have played in the NFL.

The defensive lineman responded by asking the coach the same question. When the coach said one, Hoke replied, “Me, too.” Everyone laughed and practice resumed.

It was one of many times early in his career when Hoke felt he was being tested.

“Once my teammates realized how much the gospel meant to me and ... that I was truly converted, there was a lot of respect and support for my beliefs,” said Hoke, who played 11 seasons and won two Super Bowls with the Steelers.

Part of the experience involves answering questions about their beliefs.

John Beck

Beck said teammates couldn’t fathom leaving football behind for two years to serve a mission. Some guys teased him about being a 3-year starter in college who didn’t have premarital sex. They wanted to see and discuss his reason for wearing temple garments. African American teammates confronted him about the church’s history of race and the priesthood.

Beck said he was once even asked to explain the Mountain Meadows Massacre, a brutal and fatal incident in Southern Utah in 1857. He said he did his best to answer all questions and correct any misperceptions about the church, and in time, befriended each curious teammate.

“I always tried to communicate with respect for them even caring enough to bring those things to me. The fact that they said something made me feel like they were curious, genuinely wanted to know, or curious of how I was going to respond,” Beck said. “It was cool to essentially carry that torch of what The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints stands for.”

When they weren’t asking questions, teammates sometimes poked fun at the Latter-day Saint quarterback for having his own set of substitute cuss words, which they referred to as “John Beck swear words.”

“They all teased me because I wasn’t dropping f-bombs during team cheers,” Beck said. “I think they knew why I did it. I’m not perfect. Yeah, I cussed sometimes, but I did my best not to drop the most severe words.”

Former Philadelphia tight end Jeff Thomason and his wife used to ask Lewis to tell stories about his mission in Taiwan.

“It was so cool to be able to talk to one of my teammates about something that meant so much to me,” he said. “I would say that 90% of my teammates celebrated the fact that I spent two years away from my family as a missionary, and because of that, learned to speak Mandarin Chinese.”

Beck, Lewis and Sorensen are quick to point out how many good people there are in the NFL, from ownership and front office staff to coaches, players and others.

“That was my experience,” Lewis said. “I became friends with, worked with, sweated with, bled with people who are totally different than me, and my perspective is I’m so grateful they opened their heart to me.”

Daniel Sorensen

Former BYU safety Daniel Sorensen is grateful to have found a home in Kansas City under head coach Andy Reid, who is also a member of the faith. Not only does Sorensen view Reid as a “big part of my career,” but he operates a “first class, well-run organization,” leading the Chiefs to consecutive Super Bowl appearances in 2020 and 2021.

“I’ve had a very pleasant experience so far in the NFL,” said Sorensen, entering his eighth season this fall. “Beyond coach Reid, the other coaches have been respectful of my religion, or anyone else’s religion for that matter. They treat everyone fairly and they treat them like men.”

The 12 new Latter-day Saints training to join the NFL this year hope to be treated well in their new football homes, including new Jets quarterback Wilson, who considers himself “an LDS Church member, for sure,” but doesn’t see himself as a “poster boy” for the global faith, he told the Deseret News in April.

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— Back Page Guy NYDN (@BackPageGuyNYDN) April 30, 2021

Wilson and Sewell, part of a large Latter-day Saint family, headlined the six church members drafted last week. The others were:

• Brady Christensen, who served a mission in Hamilton, New Zealand, selected 70th by the Carolina Panthers.
• Simi Fehoko, a former Utah high school star and Stanford wide receiver picked 179th overall by the Dallas Cowboys. He served a mission in South Korea.
• Khyiris Tonga, a BYU defensive lineman drafted 250th overall by the Chicago Bears, served a mission in Wichita, Kansas.
• Dax Milne, a BYU wide receiver, went 258th overall to the Washington Football Team.

These six Latter-day Saint players signed NFL contracts as undrafted free agents:

• Safety Zayne Anderson, Kansas City Chiefs.
• Defensive lineman Zac Dawe, Atlanta Falcons (mission in Houston, Texas).
• Tight end Matt Bushman, Las Vegas Raiders (mission in Santiago, Chile).
• Linebacker Isaiah Kaufusi, Indianapolis Colts (mission in Nukualofa, Tonga).
• Offensive tackle Chandon Herring, Tennessee Titans (mission in Washington D.C.).
• Defensive back Troy Warner, Los Angeles Rams.

Returned missionaries in the NFL

While things worked out for Lewis, history has shown that NFL teams tend to shy away from drafting returned missionaries because of their older age and a perceived lack of upside.

Still, 12 returned missionaries dot NFL rosters. Of those, only five were drafted:

• Bronson Kaufusi (BYU) is converting to tight end with the Green Bay Packers.
• Garett Bolles (University of Utah) is a second-team All-Pro offensive tackle for the Denver Broncos.
• Matt Gay (Utah) made 14-of-16 fields goals for the Los Angeles Rams last year.
• Xavier Su’a-Filo (UCLA) plays guard on the offensive line for the Cincinnati Bengals.
• John Ursua (Hawaii) is a wide receiver for the Seattle Seahawks.

Colin E. Braley, Associated Press

Kansas City safety Daniel Sorensen (49) celebrates his touchdown after intercepting a pass by then-New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees during a game in 2016. Sorensen is one of many Latter-day Saints to play in the NFL.

The other seven worked their way on to NFL rosters as undrafted free agents:

• Daniel Sorensen (BYU) started at safety in the past two Super Bowls for the Kansas City Chiefs.
• Taysom Hill (BYU) is a quarterback (and multi-purpose player) for the New Orleans Saints.
• Corbin Kaufusi (BYU) is an offensive tackle with the San Francisco 49ers.
• Chase Hansen (Utah) plays linebacker for New Orleans Saints.
• Francis Bernard (Utah) is a Dallas Cowboys linebacker.
• Dax Raymond (Utah State) is a tight end with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
• Jordan Devey (Memphis) plays guard for the Buffalo Bills.

Beck, a second round pick in the 2007 NFL draft, holds a unique, but perhaps lesser-known distinction among returned missionaries in the league.

Near the end of his rookie year with the Miami Dolphins, Beck became the first drafted returned missionary quarterback to start an NFL game.

Growing up, Beck said people discouraged him from a mission because they believed it would hurt his chances of playing in the NFL. He opted to serve and spent two years in Lisbon, Portugal. When the opportunity to suit up in the NFL came, Beck was determined to make his mark.

“I just wanted to prove that I could,” he said. “I wanted to be that guy.”

Since retiring from the game, Beck has become a quarterback-coaching guru. And with the success of Wilson, one of his highly-publicized clients, Beck’s quarterback training program became the talk of the NFL off-season.

Faith as a source of strength

Lewis tore a ligament hauling in the winning touchdown pass in the 2005 NFC Championship game. The score sent Eagles to Super Bowl XXXIX but ended his season.

Lewis described having a “divine moment” when he felt assured that everything would be fine.

“My faith in Jesus Christ has always been his greatest source of strength, especially in times of trial,” he said. “And the NFL provided no shortage of trials or challenges.”

For each Latter-day Saint player, their faith has been a source of strength while navigating the rigors of an NFL life.

In 2011, Beck was offered an opportunity to compete for the starting quarterback job with the Washington Redskins, but he said a series of unfortunate events seemed to conspire against him and it didn’t work out.

Pablo Martinez Monsivais, Associated Press

Then-Washington quarterback John Beck scrabbles during a game against Philadelphia in Landover, Maryland, in 2011. Beck was one of many Latter-day Saints who played in the NFL.

It was one of the “most exciting” and “toughest times” of his professional career.

“When it seemed like so many good things were going to happen, I could not believe that so many things just seem to fall apart,” Beck said.

On each drive home from the games, Beck found spiritual strength in seeing the glowing lights of the Washington D.C. Temple. The inspiring sight reminded him of what matters most in life.

“There were many times that I had to turn to my Father in Heaven in prayer, many times that I drove by that temple, and I had questions,” Beck said. “I’m grateful that when my seas were the most stormy, and it felt like my boat was rocking the very most it possibly could, I’m just grateful for the foundation in my life that I tried to establish in a testimony, and where I tried to turn for peace and for understanding.”

For Sorensen, the gospel provides greater perspective. He knows that football isn’t everything and there’s a greater purpose in life.

“I’m enjoying the moments while I can, and when they’re gone, they’ll be gone,” he said. “What’s most important are the family relationships and the relationships you build with others. ... There’s definitely difficult times during the season, but with that perspective, you can kind of take things in stride knowing that nothing will be permanent and there’s a greater purpose for everything.”

Chris Hoke

Unlike Wilson and Sewell, who will sign contracts with guaranteed multimillion-dollar bonuses, Hoke was an undrafted free agent who said he “literally had to fight my way onto the field.”

“My signing bonus was $2,500 — $1,700 after taxes — with no guarantees,” Hoke said. “I thought I was rich.”

Hoke played in only one game his first three seasons, spending most of his time on the practice squad. He was “stressed out of his mind” the first few years, often waking up covered in sweat during training camp or unable to sleep before roster cuts, he said.

Hoke knew something needed to change if he wanted to remain a Steeler. A teammate’s injury opened the door for Hoke to play and the rest is history. His faith sustained him through his career.

“I never gave up. I woke up every day with a fire that couldn’t be matched by anybody,” Hoke said. “But I’ll tell you what, with all I went through, all that stress, all the pressure, all sleepless nights, I would do it all over again because the NFL was a tremendous blessing to me and my family.”

Christensen knows that football is competitive and there will be ups and downs. He’s anticipating that. He also believes his faith will see him and his family through the hard times.

“Football is amazing. It’s a huge part of my life, I love it and would give anything for it, but what’s most important is Christ and his plan,” he said. “That keeps my perspective on the right path.”

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