DeMario Douglas tells macabre story behind his nickname ‘Pop’

The Patriots wide receiver appeared on NFL Network on Thursday.

Do you know why New England Patriots wide receiver DeMario Douglas’ nickname is “Pop”? On Thursday, after the team’s eighth practice of this year’s training camp, the third-year wideout appeared on NFL Network and shared the rather macabre story.

“When I turned 1, my granddad died on my birthday,” Douglas said. “We called him ‘Poppa.’ So, my nickname is ‘Poppa’ but a lot of grown men didn’t like calling somebody younger than them ‘Poppa’ so we shortened it to ‘Pop.’ But if you hear like my mom, a lot of them say ‘Poppa.’”

Through eight practices this summer, Douglas has indeed brought some pop to the Patriots offense. A fixture among their starters, he is the team’s top slot receiver.

He also is a player who has noted a shift in culture compared to last year.

“The energy is there,” he said. “You feel like we’re a team. In the locker room, offense and defense, we know each other. We don’t shy away from saying, ‘What’s up?’ to somebody who we might not have spoken to, and then we get closer. Coach he harped on eating in the lunch room and knowing your teammates. I feel like we’re getting closer and closer.”