New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is shown on a TV monitor as he discusses the East Side Access, a train tunnel that will connect rail yards in Queens with Grand Central Terminal, Thursday, May 27, 2021 in New York. | Mark Lennihan, Associated Press
Many of us resisted watching what appeared to be a slow train wreck of New York’s former Gov. Andrew Cuomo. One by one, passengers saw the train headed for a wall and they decided to pull the emergency brake or take their fate into their own hands and just leap off. A few reluctant riders peered through windows wondering when and if help would come. Some of us watched from the platform. Some of us watched from our devices. The dynamics were frenetic, sometimes frantic and fraught with anxiety, much like late-running passengers panting toward tracks at Grand Central Station.
Contrasting the exquisite interior landscape of Grand Central Station against the dramatic unfoldings in the governor’s office might be somewhat offensive to one of the finest expressions of architecture in New York. Nonetheless, with sparks popping from the tracks and the engineer refusing to leave the cab, a train without passengers but filled with baggage collided with a movement.
Cuomo tried to remain in the train’s engineer’s cab, but quickly realized three things:
1. He was no longer driving the train.
2. He had experienced a leadership derailment.
3. He was on an unwinnable collision course into a wall of truth brought by courageous women.
And when he hit, there was political and social debris strewn about for gapers to consume and trample. There were also life and leadership lessons from that we can learn.
1. When a woman brings forth an allegation, believe her.
2. The voices of women have become amplified and insuppressible, due in part to the shared experience of harassment, hurt and humiliation.
3. The perceived power of a political office can quickly become volatile, unstable and impotent.
4. Do not dismiss, diminish or discount the voice of a young woman because doing so could provoke the ire and response from her empathetic and influential sisters.
5. Women can play the long game, with long-term plans and long-term goals that will benefit not just them, but women and humanity in the future.
6. The mistreatment, abuse, assault and harassment of women cannot be nuanced by wordsmithing and spin doctors. Women know what it looks and feels like.
7. Attend annual sexual harassment training and apply it.
After a very long list of fallen leaders accused of harassment, some of them still have not learned that they will be held accountable. Some organizations are still challenged with transparency and urgency as it relates to investigations and responsiveness. Some organizations grapple with profit and ratings over disclosure, due diligence and the duty to report.
Sexual harassment can be subtle or overt. It can happen in person and on virtual platforms and devices. It can happen in the workplace or at workplace-sponsored events. It can happen when people are intoxicated or sober. The perpetrators can be men or women. The victims can be male or female. It is often times associated with the powerful against the powerless.
The impact of sexual harassment can be demoralizing and immobilizing to workplace victims and survivors. With the power, velocity and force of social media, allegations of sexual harassment can significantly tarnish an organization’s brand, which could translate into decreased revenue and consumer confidence.
Employers and leaders must be accountable, exercise self-accountability and be held accountable for their actions, or lack thereof. Ignoring, soft-shoeing, deflecting, blaming, denying, minimizing and nuancing should no longer be an acceptable response.
Companies must be committed to social responsibility, transparency and anti-harassment in a demonstrable way, not because it is good for their brand, reputation, profits or ratings, but because it is good for the welfare of the accuser, the workplace and those who do not heed warnings.
The voices of women have become louder. The presence of women will become more powerful. The movement of women has become unstoppable and undeniable. This movement, which is not going away, should give fair warning to harassers and transgressors that they will be held accountable.
Theresa A. Dear is a national board member of the NAACP and a Deseret News contributor.
Religion’s role in politics is growing more contentious. Does that put churches’ tax-exempt status at risk?
This article was first published in theState of Faith newsletter. Sign up to receive the newsletter in your inbox each Monday night.
Earlier this summer, the Internal Revenue Service lost a very public fight with a faith-based organization. Officials had to acknowledge they were wrong to deny tax-exempt status to Christians Engaged, a nonprofit that helps people of faith get involved in elections.
When news of the group’s successful appeal broke, many people I know commented that the IRS wouldn’t make the same mistake again anytime soon. But the more I read about the situation and the rules governing tax-exempt status, the more I think clashes like the one involving Christians Engaged will soon be somewhat common.
Before I say more about that conclusion, let’s talk about why the IRS denied the nonprofit’s initial application for tax-exempt status. Officials said Christians Engaged violated rules against political campaign intervention. In other words, they thought the group’s efforts to educate people about issues and elections were a thinly veiled effort to get people to support specific campaigns.
To be clear, the IRS did not accuse Christians Engaged of openly promoting individual candidates. But officials did say the group’s intense focus on issues like abortion and marriage made it obvious which party its members were supposed to support.
“The Bible teachings (you focus on) are typically affiliated with the (Republican) Party and candidates,” the IRS’ denial letter explained.
In its successful appeal, Christians Engaged noted that the IRS has previously offered tax-exempt status to similarly situated organizations. For example, officials did not question whether former First Lady Michelle Obama’s election-related nonprofit, When We All Vote, would push its members toward Democratic campaigns.
“Denying tax-exempt status for Christians Engaged while recognizing the exempt status of other organizations who encourage civic engagement from different viewpoints demonstrates the IRS’s impermissible viewpoint discrimination,” wrote Lea Patterson, an attorney with First Liberty Institute, the firm representing the nonprofit, in the appeal letter.
In light of these and other arguments, I think it made sense for the IRS to reverse its initial decision. But I still don’t think we’ve seen the last of conflict over the political activities of faith-based organizations that claim to be nonpartisan.
For one thing, faith-related political activism is growing increasingly controversial. Many Americans, including some policymakers, believe religious leaders are guilty of fanning the flames of political conflict.
For another, there’s a growing God gap between the two parties. IRS officials involved in the Christians Engaged situation aren’t alone in thinking that faith-based political involvement only benefits the Republican Party.
In general, the IRS is a slow-moving organization so it’s unlikely that religious organizations will lose their tax-exempt status en masse anytime soon. However, I wouldn’t be surprised if officials’ relationships with faith-based nonprofits became more and more contentious in the months ahead.
ISIS-K, or the Islamic State-Khorasan, is the branch of the Islamic State that operates in Afghanistan and Pakistan. It claimed responsibility for the Aug. 26 bombing at the Kabul airport that killed dozens of Afghans and 13 U.S. service members.
ISIS-K is an enemy of not just the American government, but also the Taliban. The group is led by “renegade former Taliban militants,” according to Religion Dispatches.
If you, like me, are struggling to keep up with what’s happening in Afghanistan, I encourage you to read Religion Dispatches’ full report. It’s about the country’s recent political history and the factors that could force the Taliban to modernize.
What I’m reading ...
The Rev. Ed Newton, like many pastors, wants to help committed couples get married and build a happy life together. But, unlike most pastors, he’s willing to put a lot of money toward that goal. Earlier this summer, his congregation, Community Bible Church in San Antonio, Texas, offered couples a free marriage license and $500 toward their honeymoon if they’d go through premarital counseling with the Rev. Newton. Fifty-two couples took advantage of the deal, and they were wed in a mass ceremony this month, according to the San Antonio Report.
Because I have a personal interest in real estate news, I’ve read quite a bit about decommissioned church buildings becoming personal homes, restaurants or co-working spaces. But it wasn’t until this week that I discovered the “champing” phenomenon, aka growing interest in turning old churches into rentable campsites.
Odds and ends
The Associated Press, in partnership with Religion News Service and the Conversation, will be hosting a webinar this Thursday on the Muslim experience in America after 9/11. Speakers include Asma Uddin, whom I featured in the newsletter earlier this month.
I’m so used to seeing stories and tweets about how many Americans are not yet vaccinated against COVID-19 that I hadn’t realized how notable it is that 70% of Americans have gotten at least one shot. CNN put together a fun story comparing that percentage to the share of U.S. adults who have taken part in other popular activities, like reading a romance novel (54%) or having a pet (64%). “If the vaccination rate continues to tick upward, we’re only a few points from making a COVID shot as commonplace an American experience as putting up a Christmas tree or flying a kit,” the article noted.
Utah quarterback Charlie Brewer prepares to throw during fall camp at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. The Baylor transfer earned the starting job and will lead the Utes in their opener against Weber State Thursday at Rice-Eccles Stadium. | University of Utah Athletics
Looking for a fresh start and a chance to play for a winning team, the Baylor transfer is ready to lead the Utes into the 2021 season.
Utah has a new quarterback directing the offense as it opens the season.
There’s a reason why the former Baylor star has been named to the 2021 preseason watch lists for the Davey O’Brien Award (nation’s best college quarterback) and Maxwell Award (college player of the year).
His experience was a key factor as he out-dueled sophomore Cam Rising to earn the starting job during fall camp.
When the Utes host Weber State in Salt Lake City Thursday (5:30 p.m., MDT, Pac-12 Network), it will mark the 40th career start for Brewer.
Brewer arrived on campus in January and coach Kyle Whittingham has learned a lot about him since that time. How does he describe Brewer?
“Poised. Calm under pressure. Decisive. Gets the ball out of his hand quickly. Accurate thrower. He has a good pocket presence,” he said. “He can sense the rush and move around in the pocket the way you want a quarterback to. His escapability is good. He’s not a statue back there. The main thing is, we see his decision-making. He’s a great decision-maker.”
The pedigree
Brewer possesses an impressive football pedigree. His brother, Michael, played football at Virginia Tech. His father, grandfather and uncle all played quarterback at the University of Texas.
Brewer is accurate, athletic and smart. And he’s proven.
At Baylor from 2017-20, he threw for 9,700 yards, No. 2 in school history, and became the second player in school history to eclipse the 10,000-yard mark for total offense in a career with 10,797 yards — including 1,039 rushing yards. Brewer passed for 65 touchdowns and ran for 22 TDs.
Justin Rex, Associated Press
Baylor quarterback Charlie Brewer signals a play against Texas Tech during a game in Lubbock, Texas, Saturday, Nov. 14, 2020. Brewer prevailed in a prolonged quarterback battle with Cam Rising during fall camp and will be under center when the Utes open their 2021 season at home against Weber State on Thursday.
In 2019, he led the Bears to an 11-3 record and an appearance in the Big 12 championship game, where they fell to Oklahoma. Baylor received a bid to the Sugar Bowl, where the Bears lost to Georgia.
During his career at Baylor, Brewer ranks in the top five in career completions (No. 1, 828), completion percentage (No. 2, .635), passing yards (No. 2, 9,700), touchdown passes (No. 2, 65) and passing efficiency (No. 5, 138.1).
In a 2019 article in The Athletic, former Baylor receivers coach Bob Bicknell compared Brewer to 1984 Heisman Trophy winner Doug Flutie. Bicknell’s dad, Jack, coached Flutie at Boston College.
Meanwhile, then-Baylor coach Matt Rhule, now coach of the Carolina Panthers, learned from Steve Addazio, who coached Tim Tebow at Florida and is now the coach at Colorado State, the importance of having a quarterback with the ‘it’ factor.
The ‘it’ factor is something that Rhule identified quickly in Brewer.
And, apparently, it’s something that Whittingham has identified in Brewer as well.
The defining characteristic: ‘He’s fearless’
Wide receiver Britain Covey has watched a lot of Brewer’s games at Baylor. And he’s excited about Brewer bringing that same moxie to Utah.
“In the film that I’ve watched, it’s that he’s fearless. He’s only 6-foot. He’s not a 4.4 guy. He doesn’t have the killer arm that Patrick Mahomes has. But he does everything that you need him to do,” Covey said. “He has game-winning drives, he’ll dive for the pylon, he’ll do all those things.
“As I’ve seen in person, it hasn’t been as many live reps, it’s his understanding of defenses that try to disguise themselves. Great defenses always come with disguises. … It’s almost like there hasn’t been anything that he hasn’t seen. I think that’s his defining characteristic.”
Despite the success Brewer’s had at the quarterback position, he continues to carry a chip on his shoulder and a relentless desire to improve.
“I’m naturally very competitive. Always have been,” he said. “I was under-recruited out of high school and that’s always pushed me. I still have a lot of work to do to get better.”
“I thought it was a really good situation and a really good team — a team that’s going to win,” he said. “I wanted to be part of a winning team. I thought the coaching staff was really good. I’m glad I made the decision, for sure.”
The QB battle
During the spring, Brewer separated himself quickly from the rest of the quarterbacks, due primarily to his experience.
Meanwhile, Rising, who had earned the starting job going into the 2020 campaign before suffering a serious shoulder injury, was sidelined during the spring to rehab after surgery.
Brewer looked every bit the part of a quarterback with plenty of Division I experience at a very high level.
Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News
Utah quarterback Charlie Brewer throws during the spring game in Salt Lake City on Saturday, April 17, 2021. Brewer completed 15 of 15 passes for 151 yards and two TDs and had a QB rating of 228.6 in one half of play.
Many presumed Brewer would wrap up the starting job early in fall camp. But Rising made the decision more difficult than expected for the coaching staff.
“It was a good battle. Cam’s a great quarterback,” Brewer said. “I thought it was a really good competition. We pushed each other each week, each day, really. Both of us got better.”
It wasn’t until after the second scrimmage that Brewer locked up the job.
“He had the edge statistically, first of all. That’s not the only thing that you take into account but he did have a slight edge statistically. He’s a guy that has a lot of leadership,” Whittingham said. “It was a close call. It was so close it could have gone either way.
“But Charlie’s experience, having started 40 Division I games, the success he had at Baylor throwing the football, I believe our team would have been just fine with either. … They would have rallied around whichever guy ultimately won the job,” he continued. “They’re both very well-respected and hard workers. They prepare the way you’re supposed to. … It was really close but ultimately Charlie, probably the experience factor was the biggest reason.”
Covey felt that Brewer would ultimately be the starter.
“I saw it coming. I think that it was one of those, you have to knock out the champ; no one’s going to win by split decision-type of deal,” he said. “Charlie had such a good spring that it was going to take something miraculous from Cam to do that after surgery. We all expected that but Cam came in and really threw a wrench in things. It took longer but this is what most people expected coming out of spring.”
“Charlie was doing a lot of good things all camp. It was a close battle between both of them,” said linebacker Devin Lloyd. “I knew we were going to have good quarterback regardless. Charlie was doing well all camp.”
When Brewer was told he would be the starter, it wasn’t done with much fanfare. He knew there was a lot of work left to do.
“There’s going to be some excitement but there’s still a task to do. I still have got to play well,” he said. “Just being focused and taking it day by day and keep improving. Just because I won the job doesn’t mean I can get complacent. I’ve got to keep getting better each day.”
The QB1 job
While the program is different and his teammates are different, Brewer has been here before in a figurative sense.
He knows what it takes to lead an offense, be productive, score points and win games.
“Getting the opportunity to lead this team is obviously a big responsibility,” Brewer said. “I’m up for it, for sure.”
University of Utah Athletics
Utah quarterback Charlie Brewer prepares to take a snap from center Nick Ford during fall camp at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City.
He likes the offensive line that is tasked to protect him and he likes the play-making weapons that surround him, with wide receivers like Covey, Theo Howard, Solomon Enis, Jaylen Dixon and Devaughn Vele; and tight ends like Brant Kuithe, Cole Fotheringham and Dalton Kincaid; and running backs T.J. Pledger, Tavion Thomas, Chris Curry and Micah Bernard.
“I feel extremely comfortable. We’ve been working together since January. The chemistry is definitely there. We’re excited to put it on display this week,” Brewer said. “This is a really good football team. We’ve got to keep putting in the work and play well every week but I see a lot of potential, for sure.”
Learning a new, and different, playbook at Utah has been the biggest challenge for Brewer. But he’s watched countless hours of film.
“Just learning the terminology of the playbook,” he said. “I came from a spread offense to an old school or pro-style offense. Getting that down took time. But I was able to get it done.”
Covey acknowledged that Brewer has undergone a somewhat steep learning curve in terms of going from the kind of offense that Baylor ran to the one Utah runs under Ludwig.
“That’s one thing that Charlie had to learn when he came here. At Baylor, Charlie was more of a shotgun (QB). You go out there and spread the field and pick your matchups,” he said. “This is more methodical. We’re going to set this up, be a great run team, a great play-action team. I think that took some time.”
One of Brewer’s strengths is his ability to take command of the huddle. That’s something the defense has noticed.
“I really like his confidence. He has great arm talent and he has trust with all the receivers,” Lloyd said. “It’s his confidence and his ability to get it to the receiver, no matter the pass concept.”
Utah is hoping Brewer can help take this team even higher.
“He’s not as fast or as good a runner as Tyler, but he moves well in the pocket,” Covey said. “If it’s third-and-five, he’ll pick up the first down with his legs. That’s always exciting. That really opens up what you can do. You have to put a spy on a guy like that.”
Brewer knows what it takes to win at the Power Five level. And he’s eager to do just that for the Utes.
As preseason play rolls on, some may try to gauge how teams stack up to those who dwell within a region by comparing their records and results. While records can be a good way to compare teams, you never really know where they stand until they take the field together.
Coming into Tuesday afternoon’s matchup in Herriman between Riverton and Mountain Ridge, both teams found themselves with preseason records of 5-1 — the best records in Region 3. Though the records indicated that both teams were top contenders in the region, the question of who was most favored among the favorites was primed to be answered when the teams kicked off region play against one another.
With a convincing 3-1 final score line, Riverton defeated the Sentinels, improving to 6-1 on the year and further pegging themselves as the side to beat in Region 3. Seniors Whitney Garn and Belle Christensen and sophomore Emmalee Christensen all found the back of the net in the victory for the Silverwolves.
Much of the success came in the first half hour of the game with two of Riverton’s three goals netted in the first 15 minutes of play. Silverwolves head coach Paul Moizer said that getting off to the quick start was something he and his team tried to emphasize coming into the game.
“We started off really well in the first half,” Moizer said when asked what the key to victory was. “We wanted to press high and be intense, and (we) were. I think we kind of got them on their heels a little bit.”
The pressure and intensity clearly made the Sentinels uncomfortable as they struggled to get out of their own end through the initial stages of the game. If not for a few offsides calls and a handful of impressive saves from Mountain Ridge goalkeeper Elle Rafajko, the two-goal advantage at halftime for Riverton could’ve been even more significant.
The midfield trio of Garn, Emmalee Christensen and Mariana Regla flew around the field for Riverton, continually winning the ball back in key areas thanks to an energy that appeared relentless. That energy played a key factor in the first half goals scored by Garn and Christensen.
“They were all over the place today,” Moizer said of the midfielders. “They put in a really good effort. If they weren’t pushing the ball forward themselves, they were putting the ball through so we could get up the field and they were definitely the ones pressing the most.”
Mountain Ridge began to settle into the game as time wore on, especially when the teams switched playing directions following halftime. After playing the first 40 minutes against a persistent wind blowing from the south, the switch of sides found Sentinels playing with the wind at their backs throughout the second half — a significantly more comfortable position to be playing in according to Moizer.
“With the wind (blowing at us) in the second half, you never know what’s going to happen,” Moizer said. When you’re going with the wind you feel stronger than you do going against the wind, so it’s definitely a mental thing more than anything.”
Moizer said that he was proud of how his girls handled the wind in the second half and added that they may have even worked harder over the final 40 minutes of play.
Though the wind switched roles in the second half, both teams were able to come away with a goal. Belle Christensen scored for Riverton less than four minutes into the second half, while Mountain Ridge’s Saige Stewart was able to pull one back and prevent her team from being shut out.
The win was about as good a start the Silverwolves could’ve hoped for as they begin to dive into region play following a second-place finish in Region 3 last year. Moizer said that if his team hopes to continue the early success, they’ll need to be more composed going forward.
“We need to work on composure,” Moizer said. “We had some chances that we wasted today and in big games we’ll need to convert those chances, so we’ll definitely be working on that.”
Jackie Woodward rides her adaptive bike outside of Shriners Hospitals for Children in Salt Lake City on Monday, Aug. 30, 2021. Kruisers for Kids raised over $43,000 to fund adaptive bikes, which can cost between $500 and $2,000 each. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
Four patients with orthopedic conditions at Shriners Hospitals for Children in Salt Lake City were fitted for new adaptive bikes Monday thanks to a $44,000-plus donation from Kruisers for Kids.
Three children receive a Rifton adaptive bike to help with developmental delays, and another child with congenital limb differences received a new arm-pedaled bike.
Adaptive bikes, which typically cost $500 to $2,000 each, allow children who can’t ride standard bikes the chance to get outside and have fun with neighbors and siblings, particularly beneficial now with families navigating COVID-19 precautions.
Other benefits include a sense of independence, lower extremity strengthening, cardiovascular exercise, weight management and balancing skills. Bike adaptations are customized to each child’s needs, ranging from hand pedals and secure seat belts to larger seats with a back and a lower center of gravity.
Funds for this year’s donation came from the group’s 27th annual car show and brings the organization’s collective giving to $430,000, helping the hospital give away more than 50 bikes a year to patients on a waiting list.
Kalani Sitake, BYU’s head football coach, gives a thumbs-up during BYU football media day at the BYU Broadcasting Building in Provo on Thursday, June 17, 2021. BYU announced a contract extension for Sitake until 2025 on Tuesday. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
The Cougars’ head football coach will lead the team through the 2025 season
Coming off his most successful season as head coach, Kalani Sitake received a contract extension from BYU just days before the Cougars’ 2021 season opener.
“We are happy to sign Kalani to an extension that keeps him connected to BYU for years to come,” BYU athletic director Tom Holmoe said in a press release. “This is about setting our student-athletes up for success. Kalani’s culture of love and learning has created an incredible environment for his student-athletes and Cougar Nation that we are all inspired by.”
BYU opens the 2021 season against Arizona on Saturday at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
Sitake led the Cougars to an 11-1 record in 2020, as BYU finished the season ranked No. 11 in the Associated Press final rankings. He was a finalist for the 2020 Eddie Robinson National Coach of the Year Award.
“I really appreciate the support for BYU football from Tom Holmoe and President Worthen along with all of our administration at BYU,” Sitake said in a press release. “I am excited about the future of our program and committed to continue to do everything we can for the benefit of our great student-athletes, coaches, staff and fans.”
Sitake has led the Cougars to a 38-26 record since taking over the program in the 2016 season.
Green Bay teammates Bronson Kaufusi (hands raised) and Christian Uphoff meet with Latter-day Saint sister missionaries. Kaufusi baptized Uphoff a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Sunday, Aug. 29, 2021. | Bronson Kaufusi
Bronson Kaufusi was in the Green Bay Packers’ locker room last spring following an off-season workout when he met rookie safety Christian Uphoff.
The new teammates struck up a friendly conversation and decided to go fishing.
With lines cast and waiting for a nibble, Uphoff casually asked Kaufusi about his service as a Latter-day Saint missionary in New Zealand.
Little did both men know the question would lead to a deep conversation about faith, months of religious discussions and eventually result in Uphoff’s baptism.
“It was just awesome to see him feel that joy and happiness that comes when you make decisions that can change your life,” Kaufusi told the Deseret News. “It was really great to see.”
With the NFL regular season close to getting underway, Kaufusi posted photos and news on Instagram that he baptized Uphoff as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Sunday.
“One of the coolest experiences I’ve ever had,” Kaufusi wrote.
Uphoff, a 6-foot-3, 209-pounder who played at Illinois State from 2017 to 2019, signed with Green Bay as an undrafted free agent. Uphoff’s 2020 fall season with the Redbirds was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The team also opted out of most of the FCS spring season.
Uphoff was projected to be a late round prospect for the NFL draft but not selected. Green Bay was his preferred free agent destination, he told Packers reporters last week.
“Before the draft, me and my agent were talking and he was like, ‘If you don’t get drafted, where do you want to go?’ I was like, ‘Green Bay,’” he said. “I just knew Green Bay was a good place for undrafted free agents.”
Kaufusi, a former BYU and Timpview High star, was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in 2016. After a few years in Baltimore, Kaufusi moved on to the New York Jets, where he switched positions to tight end. He signed with Green Bay earlier this year.
Kaufusi’s NFL career has been full of unexpected twists and turns.
“Oh, man, I feel like it’s just like anything in life. There’s a lot you don’t control,” Kaufusi said. “It’s your job to take whatever is given, just run with it and just make the best of it. You never know what can happen.”
Such as when a teammate expresses interest in your faith.
After Kaufusi related some missionary experiences, Uphoff asked about the scriptures and they started reading the Bible together. Next, the safety asked to meet with the Latter-day Saint missionaries.
Bronson Kaufusi
Green Bay teammates Bronson Kaufusi and Christian Uphoff meet with Latter-day Saint missionaries. Kaufusi baptized Uphoff as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Sunday, Aug. 29, 2021.
For a while, they attended church worship services via Zoom and had Zoom meetings with the missionaries. There were more discussions and scripture-reading sessions when it was safe to meet in person.
“He loves reading the scriptures,” Kaufusi said of Uphoff. “He’d say, ‘Let’s read some scriptures.’ I would think, ‘Oh, he probably wants to read for 15 minutes.’ Then we would read for a couple of hours. I loved it. It was awesome to see someone so dedicated and really searching for more.”
Bronson Kaufusi
Green Bay teammates Bronson Kaufusi, left, and Christian Uphoff sit at a table in a restaurant. Kaufusi, a former BYU player, baptized Uphoff a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Sunday, Aug. 29, 2021.
Seeing his friend and teammate find spiritual happiness left Kaufusi with a deep sense of gratitude. Many have been supportive of Uphoff, who declined the opportunity to be interviewed.
“I know how much the gospel has blessed my life, and to have one of my teammates be able to experience that for themselves and make this decision, it was an amazing experience. I was like, ‘Wow.’ I feel so fortunate that I’m able to be a part of it and I’m just so happy for him.”
Bronson Kaufusi
Green Bay’s Christian Uphoff stands with Latter-day Saint missionaries and President Sean and Sister Joanne Murphy of the Wisconsin Milwaukee Mission outside of Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
Both Kaufusi and Uphoff were released Tuesday as NFL teams trim their initial active rosters to 53 players for the regular season, but both players could be signed to the Packers’ practice squad, according to reports.
“Our tight end, Bronson Kaufusi, I love him. One of the happiest guys ever,” Rodgers said.
The flattering remark from the 2020 NFL MVP meant a lot to Kaufusi.
“It was really cool that he said that, honestly, because he’s such a great player and a great leader,” Kaufusi said. “I’m always trying to be myself and that’s really just who I am. I thought it was such a huge compliment, just so incredibly nice of him to say that.”
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Justin Rex, Associated Press
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Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News
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University of Utah Athletics
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Bronson Kaufusi
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Bronson Kaufusi
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Bronson Kaufusi
