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“Faith, family, football” is a mantra lived by many on and off the field, but for Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Ladd McConkey, it really is everything.
The Georgia native may be in his second year in the NFL, but he has never been shy about expressing how much his Christian beliefs mean to him, whether on the field, in the film room or at home with his wife, Sydney.
McConkey head coach Jim Harbaugh happens to share the same values and beliefs. In fact, many Chargers players and coaches celebrate and practice their faith daily, and McConkey couldn’t be happier to be part of an organization where, whatever your beliefs, you can express them every day.
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Ladd McConkey of the Los Angeles Chargers reacts after the game against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium on November 2, 2025 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Johnnie Izquierdo/Getty Images)
“Just to talk about Coach Harbaugh, he’s doing a great job of making this happen in our program,” McConkey told PK Press Club Digital while discussing his partnership with Dr. Pepper ahead of the Pepper Portal heading to Athens for the Georgia Bulldogs vs. Texas Longhorns game on Saturday. “JK Scott, our punter, leads sessions at the chapel every Friday night. We have coaches coming, players coming, and we all come out and worship. It’s great.”
When you watch McConkey play on game day, you may notice that he looks very free as he steps to the line of scrimmage and runs his routes. While it comes from a strong work ethic throughout the week, McConkey believes his faith plays a major role in his success at the highest level of football.
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“You just have to really experience God’s love – when you feel that, all your anxiety goes away,” he explained. “You don’t worry about, ‘Oh, what am I going to do on the field?’ because you know it doesn’t satisfy you. When you are fulfilled, you know that Jesus loves you and you have that love. Now you can go out here and play for free without having to worry about anything, and I’ll be fine at the end of the day. »
In an interview last year with PK Press Club Digital, Harbaugh said “faith, family, football” helped him “keep things clear in my mind.” He also found it “inspiring” that others outside his team, like Houston Texans quarterback CJ Stroud and Kansas City Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes, shared their faith during the NFL season.
As a player, McConkey feels the same way.
Ladd McConkey of the Los Angeles Chargers celebrates a second quarter touchdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers at SoFi Stadium on November 9, 2025 in Inglewood, California. (Harry Comment/Getty Images)
“It’s so great to see guys step up and talk about it, and know that their experience is the same as mine,” he said. “We go through hard times and we go through struggles. But in the end, if we have faith, everything will be okay.
“So it’s just great to see guys like that talking about it publicly. I’m fortunate to have Coach Harbaugh allowing that on our team and allowing that in our organization.”
Even though McConkey remains loyal to the Chargers, he also still has his back for his Bulldogs.
McConkey won’t be able to be at Sanford Stadium this weekend to watch No. 5 Georgia take on No. 10 Texas in a crucial SEC game, but he will watch before his own game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Ladd McConkey of the Los Angeles Chargers watches from the sidelines during the national anthem before an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings at SoFi Stadium on October 23, 2025 in Inglewood, California. (Cooper Neill/Getty Images)
Dr Pepper continues to host special game day events this college season with “The Pepper Portal,” a one-of-a-kind fan experience connecting rival college towns before the big game.
“It’s sick,” McConkey said of “The Pepper Portal.” “I just see what Dr Pepper can do with the college football fan base, bringing everyone together. I know what it was like in Georgia – those fans are always ready. Just having that and the Pepper portal, being able to have back and forth with Texas and they’ve just been in the second year of the SEC now. We need to show them what a real SEC is, Dawg Nation.”
