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By Trent Toone, Church News
Philadelphia Eagles teammates Britain Covey and Tanner McKee both loved their experiences as missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Football in Brazil
Britain Covey #18 of the Philadelphia Eagles runs the ball during an NFL football game against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium on January 7, 2024 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images.All rights reserved.Covey, a 27-year-old wide receiver/punt return specialist who played collegiately at the University of Utah, served in the Chile Rancagua Mission.
McKee, a 24-year-old backup quarterback who played at Stanford, served in the Brazil Curitiba South Mission.
The two knew about each other but didn’t meet until a year ago when McKee was drafted by the Eagles. They became fast friends and now spend considerable time together with their wives and as members of the same Latter-day Saint ward in downtown Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
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Football Brazil
Tanner McKee #10 of the Philadelphia Eagles looks to throw a pass during pregame warmups prior to an NFL preseason football game against the Cleveland Browns at Lincoln Financial Field on August 17, 2023, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Photo by Ryan Kang/Getty Images.All rights reserved.On September 6, the Eagles will be part of the first-ever NFL game in South America when they play the Green Bay Packers in São Paulo, Brazil. It’s a game both players are looking forward to, and because of their missions, teammates often ask them about their experiences living in South America for two years.
“It comes up all the time. They love to talk about it. It’s one of the favorite lunch conversations — stories from my mission,” Covey told the Deseret News. “Most people haven’t lived outside of the country. Tanner and I love to tell stories from the mission and talk about what it’s like. A lot of it is in a joking manner, but a lot of people respect it and love to ask questions about the Church.”
Another Latter-day Saint joined the Eagles during the offseason when Kellen Moore was hired as offensive coordinator.
“He’s really well-respected across the league,” Covey said about Moore. “I feel like I’ll be able to learn a lot from him.”
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