Charles Rogers
Encyclopedia
Charles Rogers is a former American football
wide receiver
who played for the Detroit Lions
. He was drafted by the Lions second overall in the 2003 NFL Draft
, after playing college football
at Michigan State
.
and was a letterman in football, basketball, and track. In football, he was a three-time All-State honoree. Rogers is the step-son of Clinton Ostah, a former minor league baseball
catcher.
and the school record for most receiving yards in a single game with 270. He broke Randy Moss
's NCAA record of 13 straight games with a touchdown catch. During his Junior year, a close friend of Rogers told him he thought he would be a bust. This just inspired Rogers to put more effort into football, and to have a successful NFL career.
, Rogers was drafted second overall after Carson Palmer
in the 2003 NFL Draft
by the Detroit Lions.
Rogers caught 22 passes for 243 yards and three touchdowns during his first five games of the 2003 season, before breaking his collarbone while practicing a speed drill with Dré Bly
, leaving him out for the season. He was expected to come back and have a big year. However, in the third play of the 2004 season against the Chicago Bears
, Rogers suffered another broken collarbone, and was once again out for the season.
During the 2005 season, Rogers was suspended 4 games for a third violation of the NFL's substance abuse policy. As a result of this violation, the Lions filed a grievance, claiming that his drug suspension violated a clause in his contract, which would mean Rogers would be obligated to return $10 million of the $14.2 million the Lions gave him in bonuses. The Detroit Free Press
would later report that Rogers failed drug tests each year while at Michigan State. Citing Lions chief operating officer Tom Lewand, a report Oct. 9, 2008 stated that Rogers must repay the team around $8.5 million.
Upon his return from suspension, despite the fact that Rogers was deemed healthy, he played only nine games, with three starts, and was declared inactive for four games. He caught 14 passes for 197 yards and a touchdown.
On September 2, 2006, Rogers was released by the Lions. Newly hired head coach Rod Marinelli
did not think Rogers' work ethic was a match for the team. After releasing him, Marinelli said, "We picked the men that are right for this football team. It's behind us."
After his release, Rogers worked out for the Miami Dolphins
, New England Patriots
and Tampa Bay Buccaneers
in 2006, all of whom opted not to sign him.
. In March 2009, Rogers was jailed for violating probation. On September 16, 2009, Rogers was arrested in Novi, MI for driving under the influence of alcohol after being found unresponsive behind the wheel of his car by police. Rogers was arrested again in Novi, MI on January 5, 2010, having passed out after drinking at an On the Border restaurant, which was a violation of a sobriety court order, and subsequently sentenced to a 93-day jail term.
In August 2009, in an interview with ESPN
's Jamielle Hill, Rogers admitted that he'd smoked marijuana regularly. He'd tested positive for marijuana twice while at Michigan State, and a test at the NFL combine detected excess water in his system. He was so distraught over his second collarbone injury that he began smoking marijuana daily to deal with the pain. He also said he was just "really smokin'" and that was what led to his downfall in the NFL.
Rogers was ordered by a judge in April 2010 to return $6.1 million of his $9.1 million signing bonus to the Detroit Lions, because his drug use violated the terms of his NFL contract.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
who played for the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
. He was drafted by the Lions second overall in the 2003 NFL Draft
2003 NFL Draft
The 2003 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. The draft is known officially as the "NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting" and has been conducted annually since 1936. The draft was held April 26–27, 2003 at the Theatre at...
, after playing college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Michigan State
Michigan State Spartans football
The Michigan State Spartans football program represents Michigan State University in college football as members of the Big Ten Conference at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level...
.
High School Years
Rogers graduated from Saginaw High SchoolSaginaw High School
Saginaw High School is located in Saginaw, Michigan, USA. The student enrollment is approximately 746 students....
and was a letterman in football, basketball, and track. In football, he was a three-time All-State honoree. Rogers is the step-son of Clinton Ostah, a former minor league baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
catcher.
College career
Rogers attended Michigan State, where he broke many receiving records. The winner of the 2002 Biletnikoff Award, Rogers still holds the school records for most TDs in a career with 27, breaking the record held by former Spartans WR (and later MLB All-Star) Kirk GibsonKirk Gibson
Kirk Harold Gibson is a former Major League Baseball player and currently the manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks. As a player, Gibson was an outfielder who batted and threw left-handed...
and the school record for most receiving yards in a single game with 270. He broke Randy Moss
Randy Moss
Randy Gene Moss is a former American football wide receiver. He was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the first round of the 1998 NFL Draft...
's NCAA record of 13 straight games with a touchdown catch. During his Junior year, a close friend of Rogers told him he thought he would be a bust. This just inspired Rogers to put more effort into football, and to have a successful NFL career.
Professional career
Having been compared to Randy MossRandy Moss
Randy Gene Moss is a former American football wide receiver. He was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the first round of the 1998 NFL Draft...
, Rogers was drafted second overall after Carson Palmer
Carson Palmer
Carson Palmer is an American professional football quarterback for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals first overall in the 2003 NFL Draft. He played collegiately at the University of Southern California and won the Heisman Trophy in 2002...
in the 2003 NFL Draft
2003 NFL Draft
The 2003 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. The draft is known officially as the "NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting" and has been conducted annually since 1936. The draft was held April 26–27, 2003 at the Theatre at...
by the Detroit Lions.
Rogers caught 22 passes for 243 yards and three touchdowns during his first five games of the 2003 season, before breaking his collarbone while practicing a speed drill with Dré Bly
Dré Bly
Donald André "Dré" Bly is a former American football cornerback who played for eleven seasons in the National Football League. After playing college football for the North Carolina Tar Heels, Bly was drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the second round of the 1999 NFL Draft...
, leaving him out for the season. He was expected to come back and have a big year. However, in the third play of the 2004 season against the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, Rogers suffered another broken collarbone, and was once again out for the season.
During the 2005 season, Rogers was suspended 4 games for a third violation of the NFL's substance abuse policy. As a result of this violation, the Lions filed a grievance, claiming that his drug suspension violated a clause in his contract, which would mean Rogers would be obligated to return $10 million of the $14.2 million the Lions gave him in bonuses. The Detroit Free Press
Detroit Free Press
The Detroit Free Press is the largest daily newspaper in Detroit, Michigan, USA. The Sunday edition is entitled the Sunday Free Press. It is sometimes informally referred to as the "Freep"...
would later report that Rogers failed drug tests each year while at Michigan State. Citing Lions chief operating officer Tom Lewand, a report Oct. 9, 2008 stated that Rogers must repay the team around $8.5 million.
Upon his return from suspension, despite the fact that Rogers was deemed healthy, he played only nine games, with three starts, and was declared inactive for four games. He caught 14 passes for 197 yards and a touchdown.
On September 2, 2006, Rogers was released by the Lions. Newly hired head coach Rod Marinelli
Rod Marinelli
Rodney Marinelli is the defensive coordinator and assistant head coach of the Chicago Bears. He is the former head coach of the Detroit Lions...
did not think Rogers' work ethic was a match for the team. After releasing him, Marinelli said, "We picked the men that are right for this football team. It's behind us."
After his release, Rogers worked out for the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
and Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
in 2006, all of whom opted not to sign him.
Personal Life and Legal Issues
He was arrested in September 2008 and charged with assault and battery of a female acquaintance and the charges were later dropped. In December 2008, Rogers was sentenced to attend sobriety court or face jail time after violating his probation. He tested positive for VicodinVicodin
Hydrocodone/paracetamol is a combination of two analgesic products hydrocodone and paracetamol used to relieve moderate to severe pain...
. In March 2009, Rogers was jailed for violating probation. On September 16, 2009, Rogers was arrested in Novi, MI for driving under the influence of alcohol after being found unresponsive behind the wheel of his car by police. Rogers was arrested again in Novi, MI on January 5, 2010, having passed out after drinking at an On the Border restaurant, which was a violation of a sobriety court order, and subsequently sentenced to a 93-day jail term.
In August 2009, in an interview with ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
's Jamielle Hill, Rogers admitted that he'd smoked marijuana regularly. He'd tested positive for marijuana twice while at Michigan State, and a test at the NFL combine detected excess water in his system. He was so distraught over his second collarbone injury that he began smoking marijuana daily to deal with the pain. He also said he was just "really smokin'" and that was what led to his downfall in the NFL.
Rogers was ordered by a judge in April 2010 to return $6.1 million of his $9.1 million signing bonus to the Detroit Lions, because his drug use violated the terms of his NFL contract.