Chris and Nick McDonald team up on Patriots after being separated as teenagers

Chris McDonald and Nick McDonald have a chance to join an elite group of people this upcoming NFL season. Both are currently on the New England Patriots roster, with Nick having joined the team in 2011 and Chris signing as an undrafted free agent following the NFL Draft last month. Both are offensive lineman. As you may have guessed, they are also brothers.

However, the McDonald brothers are a bit more unique than some of the other brother combinations that have played together in the NFL. Nick and Chris were separated as teenagers and adopted by different families. Now, they are reuniting with the opportunity of a lifetime.

“My brother is [an inspiration],” Chris said, via ESPNBoston.com. “But it’s on me. My brother being in the NFL is not going to help me stay in the NFL and I have to do whatever it takes for myself.”

Chris was an All-Big Ten honorable mention last season with Michigan State, but he made it clear that he does not feel having Nick on the team gives him any added chance of earning a roster spot when the regular season rolls around.

“Not at all,” he said. “I think every single person at this level is good. You have to think about what you can do to make yourself better and make the team better. It’s not even just Nick, I see every single guy here. There’s a lot of [rookie] free agents on this team that have played and I’m truly blessed to be a part of a program that has free agents and have played a lot and it just shows that you have to work hard and do whatever it takes.”

Even if one or both of the McDonald brothers don’t make the Patriots’ roster, they must already be enjoying the ride. They get to spend almost every day together, which is something they did not get a chance to do during their teenage years.

H/T Reddit