Former tight end Chad Lewis for the Philadelphia Eagles comes to China to get locals and foreigners hyped on football

So what’s Chad Lewis, former tight end for the Philadelphia Eagles and the St. Louis Rams doing in China?I am visiting Chinese students at different universities. I’ll be doing halftime interviews during live game broadcasts on SMG and [Sina.com] (http://www.sina.com/). I’ll do football clinics with the media so they can further understand the game of Football. I will also be appearing at a few of the NFL Evening viewing parties.

So you’re here as part of NFL’s push into the Chinese market? What are the benefits to establishing an NFL following in China It's a great idea to get Chinese people together to watch games. That's one of the main draws for football back in the States—the camaraderie and social aspect of game watching. Also, China is not just important to the world economy, it is vital. I believe that in the coming years, Chinese fans will have a big impact on the game.

So, we’ve heard about your long-standing interest in Asia. You’ve been to China three times and lived in Taiwan for two years where you learned Mandarin. Why all the interest?I am lucky to have fallen in love with the Chinese people and the Chinese culture because I served as a missionary for my church in Taiwan. It was the most incredible experience of my life. I learned how to speak the language there. There was a time when I could read and write very well. I know that I never would have been able to play in the NFL if it wasn’t for living in Taiwan for two years as a missionary. Everything good in my life has come from my experience living among and serving the Chinese people.

One last question, do you think the NFL will recruit a football player out of China soon?In a country of over 1.3 billion people, there are more than enough athletes that have the qualifications to play football. Football is unique because it can use all sorts of different people that come in any shape and size. I can’t wait to see a Chinese player in the NFL. He will become a hero in China and I think he will have rock star status.

What:

NFL Evenings

When:

Tuesdays 6 p.m.

Where:

[Huixian Tang] (http://www.cityweekend.com.cn/beijing/listings/nightlife/bars/has/hui-xian-tang/) in Houhai, La Bamba in Wudaokou