Don Rogers (safety)

For other people named Don Rogers, see Don Rogers (disambiguation).

Don Rogers
Career information
Date of birth	(1962-09-17)September 17, 1962
Place of birth	Texarkana, Arkansas
Date of death	June 27, 1986(1986-06-27) (aged 23)
Place of death	Sacramento, California
Position(s)	Safety
College	UCLA
NFL draft	1984 / Round: 1 / Pick: 18
Career history
As player
1984–1985	Cleveland Browns
Career highlights and awards
Awards	1983 Rose Bowl MVP
Career stats
Playing stats at DatabaseFootball.com

Donald Lavert Rogers (September 17, 1962 – June 27, 1986) was an American college and professional football player who was a safety in the National Football League (NFL) for two seasons during the mid-1980s. Rogers played college football for the University of California, Los Angeles, and was recognized as an All-American. He played professionally for the NFL's Cleveland Browns, but his career was cut short when he died of a heart attack caused by cocaine use in 1986.

Early years

Rogers was born in Texarkana, Arkansas. He graduated from Norte Del Rio High School in Sacramento, California in 1980, where he excelled in football, basketball, and baseball, and garnered All-City honors in all three sports. His brother Reggie Rogers also played in the NFL.

College career

He attended UCLA, where he played for the UCLA Bruins football team. Rogers was the co-player of the game in the 1983 Rose Bowl for the Bruins. He also tied a Rose Bowl record in the 1984 Rose Bowl when he caught two interceptions from Illinois Fighting Illini quarterback Jack Trudeau.

Pro career

Don Rogers was selected in the first round with the 18th pick of the 1984 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns. He played two seasons with the Browns from 1984 to 1985, winning Defensive Rookie of the Year in his rookie season.

Death

Rogers died of a heart attack caused by a cocaine overdose^[1] the day before his wedding.^[2] He died only eight days after Len Bias, an NBA draft pick who also died of cocaine abuse, starting a national discussion about the relationship between drugs and athletes.

References

↑ Rogers' death is a second warning
↑ Kardiac kids: the story of the 1980 Cleveland Browns By Jonathan Knight. Kent State University Press. p. 275

Bibliography

Harvey, Sean D. (2007). One Moment Changes Everything: The All-America Tragedy of Don Rogers. Sports Publishing, Inc. ISBN 1-59670-231-1.

1983 College Football All-America Team consensus selections

Offense	QB Steve Young RB Mike Rozier RB Bo Jackson RB Greg Allen RB Napoleon McCallum WR Irving Fryar TE Gordon Hudson OL Bill Fralic OL Terry Long OL Dean Steinkuhler OL Doug Dawson C Tony Slaton

Defense	DL Rick Bryan DL Reggie White DL William Perry DL William Fuller LB Ricky Hunley LB Wilber Marshall LB Ron Rivera LB Jeff Leiding DB Russell Carter DB Jerry Gray DB Terry Hoage DB Don Rogers

Special teams	PK Luis Zendejas P Jack Weil

1984 NFL draft first-round selections

Irving Fryar Dean Steinkuhler Carl Banks Kenny Jackson Bill Maas Mossy Cade Ricky Hunley Leonard Coleman Rick Bryan Russell Carter Wilber Marshall Alphonso Carreker Keith Millard Jackie Shipp Ron Faurot Pete Koch Clyde Duncan Don Rogers Ron Solt David Lewis John Alt Terry Taylor Louis Lipps Todd Shell Billy Cannon, Jr. Greg Bell William Roberts Brian Blados

Cleveland Browns 1984 NFL draft selections

Don Rogers Chris Rockins Bruce Davis Rickey Bolden Brian Brennan Dave Piepkorn Terry Nugent Jim Dumont Don Jones Earnest Byner

Draft years 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Cleveland Browns first-round draft picks

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