| No. 20 | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Positions | Running back Wide receiver Return specialist | ||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||
| Born | (1951-07-05)July 5, 1951 (age 74) Omaha, Nebraska, U.S. | ||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 180 lb (82 kg) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||||||
| High school | Technical (Omaha, Nebraska) | ||||||||||||||||||
| College | Nebraska (1970–1972) | ||||||||||||||||||
| NFL draft | 1973: 1st round, 25th overall pick | ||||||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||||||
| Awards and highlights | |||||||||||||||||||
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| Career CFL statistics | |||||||||||||||||||
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Johnny Steven Rodgers (born July 5, 1951) is an American former professionalfootball player. He playedcollege football for theNebraska Cornhuskers and won theHeisman Trophy in 1972. Rodgers played in theCanadian Football League (CFL) with theMontreal Alouettes and in theNational Football League (NFL) with theSan Diego Chargers. He was inducted into theCollege Football Hall of Fame in 2000.
Nicknamed "the Jet" for his rapid acceleration and speed on the field, Rodgers was voted high school athlete of the year as a player for Omaha'sTech High.
As a player at theUniversity of Nebraska–Lincoln, Rodgers served as apunt return specialist,pass receiver, andrunning back. Rodgers broke virtually every offensive team record, was twice named to theCollege Football All-America Team and won theWalter Camp Award and theHeisman Trophy in 1972 for most outstanding player in college football in the United States.[1]
In his three years with theCornhuskers, the versatile Rodgers established an all-purposeNCAA yardage record of 5,586.[1] Former Nebraska coachTom Osborne, who served as Nebraska's offensive coordinator in the early 1970s, wrote in his 1985 bookMore Than Winning that Rodgers had the greatest ability to return punts of any player he ever saw. Likewise,College Football News has described him as "the greatest kick returner in college football history." Rodgers returned seven punts for touchdowns (NCAA record at the time) and one kickoff for a touchdown in his college career.[1]
Rodgers was, at one time, convicted of a gas station robbery while he was a student at the University of Nebraska in 1970.[2] He is the only Heisman winner who had a then-present felony conviction before receiving the award.[3] He was pardoned by the Nebraska Board of Pardons, and his conviction was vacated, on November 14, 2013.[4] He later was charged with assault in 1985 while living in southern California.[2]
In 1971, in what has become known as college football's "Game of the Century," Rodgers returned a punt 72 yards to score the first touchdown which set the tone for his team's 35–31 victory over theUniversity of Oklahoma.ESPN describes Rodgers' performance as "unforgettable." However, some observers consider his greatest single performance to be in the1973 Orange Bowl when he led his team to a 40–6 victory overNotre Dame. Rodgers ran for three touchdowns, caught a 50-yard pass for another touchdown, and threw a 54-yard touchdown pass to a teammate. He did all this before leaving the game with 21 minutes still to play.[1]
Although a1973 first-round draft pick of theSan Diego Chargers, Rodgers signed a three-year contract in excess of $100,000 annually to play with theCanadian Football League'sMontreal Alouettes on May 24.[8] He had spurned the Chargers who he said was "offering fourth and fifth-round money."[9] Always a fan favorite who was affectionately known as the "ordinary superstar" (a nickname he coined), Rodgers won theCFL's Most Outstanding Rookie Award in 1973. In his four years with the Alouettes, Rodgers won theJeff Russel Memorial Trophy twice (Eastern division MVP andCFL runner-up), was either a CFL or Eastern all-star each season, and helped lead his team to aGrey Cup championship in 1974.
Rodgers returned to the United States, signing a $925,000-plus contract with the Chargers on January 3, 1977.[9]Hamstring injuries kept him out of the game for most of his firstNFL season and the following year a freak knee injury sustained during team practice ended his career after only 17 NFL games.
| Year | Team | League | GP | Receiving | Rushing | Punt Returns | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Ret | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | ||||
| 1973 | MON | CFL | 14 | 41 | 841 | 20.5 | 72 | 7 | 55 | 303 | 5.4 | 58 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1974 | MON | CFL | 16 | 60 | 1,024 | 17.1 | 70 | 7 | 87 | 402 | 4.6 | 53 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1975 | MON | CFL | 15 | 40 | 849 | 21.2 | 70 | 8 | 54 | 293 | 5.4 | 38 | 2 | 60 | 912 | 15.2 | 101 | 2 |
| 1976 | MON | CFL | 14 | 45 | 749 | 16.6 | 55 | 6 | 20 | 50 | 2.5 | 41 | 1 | 75 | 931 | 12.5 | 53 | 0 |
| 1977 | SD | NFL | 11 | 12 | 187 | 15.6 | 43 | 0 | 3 | 44 | 14.7 | 33 | 0 | 15 | 158 | 10.5 | 52 | 0 |
| 1978 | SD | NFL | 6 | 5 | 47 | 9.4 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 5.0 | 5 | 0 | 11 | 88 | 8.0 | 15 | 0 |
| CFL Totals | 59 | 186 | 3,463 | 18.6 | 72 | 28 | 216 | 1,138 | 5.3 | 58 | 7 | 135 | 1,843 | 13.7 | 101 | 2 | ||
| NFL Totals | 17 | 17 | 234 | 13.8 | 43 | 0 | 4 | 49 | 12.3 | 33 | 0 | 26 | 246 | 9.5 | 52 | 0 | ||
In 1999, Rodgers was selected to the Nebraska All-Century Football Team via fan poll and named to the All-Century Nebraska football team byGannett News Service. In 2000, he was voted the University of Nebraska's "Player of the Century" bySports Illustrated.[10] In 2002, he was named to the Athlon Sports Nebraska All-Time Team. He is one of only sixteen Cornhuskers to have his jersey retired by the team.
In 1999, Rodgers was selected as a receiver by Sports Illustrated in their "NCAA Football All-Century Team". Other receivers selected wereJerry Rice,Mike Ditka,Pat Richter,Tim Brown,Raghib Ismail,Don Hutson,Bennie Oosterbaan,Howard Twilley,Ted Kwalick,Anthony Carter,Keith Jackson andDesmond Howard. Rodgers was one of six Nebraska Cornhuskers on this All-Century Team 85 man roster; the others beingRich Glover,Dave Rimington,Dean Steinkuhler,Tommie Frazier andAaron Taylor.[11]
In 1999, Rodgers was selected as a starting receiver to theWalter Camp Football Foundation College Football All Century Team. Other receivers selected wereFred Biletnikoff, Tim Brown, Bernie Oosterbaan,Larry Kelley, Raghib Ismail, Don Hutson, Howard Twilley and Keith Jackson. Rodgers was one of six Nebraska Cornhuskers selected to this 83 man roster; the others being Rimington, Steinkuhler,Will Shields, Frazier and Taylor.[12]
On theCollege Football News list of the 100 Greatest Players of All-Time, Johnny Rodgers was ranked #44. In 2007, he was ranked #23 on ESPN's Top 25 Players In College Football History list. In 2000 Johnny Rodgers was inducted into theCollege Football Hall of Fame and was also voted the "Most Valuable Player" in the history of theBig Eight.
Rodgers also remains a legend north of the border in Montreal. The Alouettes honored him with a special homecoming on September 11, 2011, 35 years since he last wore a Larks uniform.[13] He was greeted with a standing ovation.[14]
In 2011 theJet Award was established in Rodgers honor, as a national award given annually to the best return specialist in all of college football. Beginning with the 2012 award ceremony, in addition to being given to the annual award winner, the Jet Award will be presented retroactively one decade at a time, starting with the 1959–1969 winners.
Rodgers was reported to have become a devotee ofGuru Maharaj Ji, head of theDivine Light Mission, in 1974.[15][16] Rodgers met Majaraj Ji for the first time in January 1976 to discuss the guru's international tour, and in an interview at the time stated that he had joined the Divine Light Mission out of a search for deeper meaning in his life.[17]
In 1987, Rodgers was sentenced to six months in jail for wielding a gun at a cable TV employee when the employee visited his home to retrieve equipment due to Rodgers' lack of payment. He was also stopped at the US-Mexico border in 1985 and found to be in possession of methamphetamine.[2]
Today, Rodgers is a businessman inOmaha, Nebraska, where he operates a sports marketing company and bedding products manufacturer. He also works with hisalma mater to encourage athletes who dropped out of school to return and complete their educations.[10]
Rodgers has also authored a book entitledAn Era of Greatness about the University of Nebraska football team during his playing days.
Rodgers was president of theMalcolm X Memorial Foundation from 1995 to 2005.[18]
In 2007 Rodgers was a brief partner in a sports bar located in midtown Omaha bearing his name. In less than one year the partnership fell apart and dueling lawsuits ensued.
He is currently creating a mentoring program for children with other football and sport professionals.
In May 2014, Rodgers was hired as vice president of new business development atRural Media Group.[19]
In November 2021, Rodgers was hospitalized at theUniversity of Nebraska Medical Center with COVID-19 but was released two weeks later.[20][21]
His daughter isJewel Rodgers, poet laureate of Nebraska.[22]