DeMario “Pop” Douglas just delivered the best performance of his NFL career on Sunday Night Football. But he did it with a heavy heart. He recorded a career-high 100 receiving yards for the New England Patriots in a tense 24-23 win over the Atlanta Falcons. But this game meant far more than stats for the wide receiver, as it came less than 24 hours after the tragic death of his uncle. 

After the win, DeMario Douglas then shared a touching Instagram story. The story included a reel that showed him exploding off the line, breaking free, and hauling in a strike from quarterback Drake Maye for a touchdown. However, what was more touching was the heartfelt caption that Douglas added: “Unk, I know you had your 🍿 up there‼️”

DeMario Douglas believed that his uncle was watching proudly from above. Douglas had opened up about what happened to his uncle during his post-game interview with NFL reporter Cameron Wolfe on Sunday. His voice cracked as he revealed that his uncle, “Tiger”, had been shot and killed the night before the Sunday game.

“Yesterday, my uncle got shot and killed,” Douglas said. “This whole morning, man, my mood was just different. I couldn’t hold my tears. Every time someone said, ‘Keep your head up,’ my eyes kept watering. I just know he was here with me.”

It takes some strength that most people never have to work through grief like that. But it was not just Douglas who pushed through the field with a heavy heart on Sunday. New England RB Terrell Jennings revealed that he was close to Douglas’ uncle, too. Post-game, Jennings stated that his first career touchdown in this game was also in tribute to his uncle ‘Tiger’. 

DeMario Douglas also honored his uncle in every way possible. He wore “WOP Forever” and “LL UNC” on his eye black during the game. He paid tribute to his uncle early in the game, too, as he scored a 17-yard touchdown in the first quarter and pointed to the sky.

“I just looked up and told him ‘thank you,’” Douglas said. “I know he’s excited up there.”

But DeMarion Douglas kept going. On a third-and-7 in the second quarter, he made the play of the night. The wideout hauled in a deep ball while stumbling to pick up more yards and set up another touchdown for his team. His standout performance played a major role in New England securing a win in Week 9. 

DeMario Douglas shines in the Patriots’ win

DeMario Douglas used to thrive with underneath plays early in his career. But this season, the Patriots have a new coordinator in Josh McDaniels with a reinvented offense revolving around Drake Maye’s deep throws. As such, Douglas recorded just 30 yards in the first five weeks of the 2025 season. So, many critics have wondered whether he fits into New England’s offense anymore. Well, he just answered those doubts on an emotional Sunday night. 

After weeks of slowly building momentum, DeMario Douglas rolled into Week 9 in a big way. He had recorded just 132 yards over his last three games heading into Week 9. But he topped it with a career-high 100-yard game while playing against the Falcons less than a day after losing a loved one to tragedy. As such, Patriots’ head coach Mike Vrabel, who had earlier criticized Douglas for his blunder against the Pittsburgh Steelers, now praised him after the game.

“We’ve got to keep finding Pop,” Vrabel said. “When Pop doesn’t have the ball, he’s blocking and doing everything we ask to protect our identity.”

Moreover, a day that started in tears ended in triumph for DeMario Douglas. Despite the tragic death of his uncle, Douglas turned grief into tribute and helped his team win. And who knows? Maybe this moment becomes a turning point in his football career.